Former Indian cricketer Irfan Pathan took to social media with a cryptic post shortly after the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) revealed the central contracts for the 2023–24 season. The noteworthy exclusion from the contracts was the absence of Shreyas Iyer and Ishan Kishan.

Both players had stirred controversy in recent months due to their non-participation in the Ranji Trophy. Kishan, who withdrew from the South Africa tour, did not feature in any games for Jharkhand this season. Simultaneously, Shreyas Iyer missed three consecutive matches for Mumbai after being left out of the Test squad against England.

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In response to this, the BCCI stated, “Shreyas Iyer and Ishan Kishan were not considered for the annual contracts in this round of recommendations.” The board emphasized the importance of players prioritizing domestic cricket when not representing the national team.

Irfan Pathan, however, expressed his thoughts on the matter through a cryptic tweet, urging the talented cricketers to make a strong comeback. He also raised questions about the inconsistency in applying the rules, specifically mentioning players like Hardik Pandya, who choose not to play red-ball cricket.

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“They are talented cricketers, both Shreyas and Ishan. Hoping they bounce back and come back stronger. If players like Hardik don’t want to play red ball cricket, should he and others like him participate in white-ball domestic cricket when they aren’t on national duty? If this doesn’t apply to all, then Indian cricket won’t achieve the desired results!” Irfan Pathan tweeted.

They are talented cricketers, both Shreyas and Ishan. Hoping they bounce back and come back stronger. If players like Hardik don’t want to play red ball cricket, should he and others like him participate in white-ball domestic cricket when they aren’t on national duty? If this…

— Irfan Pathan (@IrfanPathan) February 29, 2024

Irfan Pathan had previously shared another cryptic post, questioning the BCCI’s apparent double standards regarding players not participating in Indian first-class cricket under the pretext of preserving their bodies.

Is there a different rules for different players for not playing Indian first class cricket in the name of looking after the body?

— Irfan Pathan (@IrfanPathan) February 22, 2024

Both Shreyas Iyer and Ishan Kishan were part of India’s 2023 World Cup squad, with Shreyas being one of the standout performers. Kishan recently made a comeback to competitive cricket in the DY Patil T20 Cup, while Shreyas is included in Mumbai’s Ranji Trophy squad to face Tamil Nadu. The central contract exclusions indicate a potential shift in the BCCI’s approach, urging players to actively engage in domestic cricket to secure national contracts.