Ishan Kishan's absence has intrigued the cricket fans as he has been missing in action since the end of last year. Ishan Kishan hasn't played a match in 2024 with speculations arising around his attitude. He was even subtly warned by BCCI Secretary Jay Shah during a media interaction at the Saurashtra Cricket Association Stadium renaming event. Shah had told all centrally contracted Indian players to participate in red-ball cricket in the domestic circuit. Shah had categorically made it clear that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) will not entertain any excuses regarding this mandate. 

Shah stated that the chairman of selectors would have the autonomy to make decisions if a player declines to adhere to instructions from the team management. This comes after reports emerged suggesting that Ishan Kishan and Shreyas Iyer are deliberately giving a miss to the Ranji Trophy despite being dropped from the national squad. 

Ishan Kishan's absence from Ranji Trophy continued as the wicketkeeper-batter, who plays domestic cricket for Jharkhand, skipped the final round of matches that started on Friday, a move that will not go down well with BCCI. Kishan's reluctance to play first-class cricket and focus only on the IPL forced the BCCI to make a minimum number of Ranji Trophy games mandatory for players in order to be eligible for the cash-rich league's lucrative auction pool.

Update on Ishan Kishan

It is reported by PTI that Kishan was asked by a senior member of the Indian team think-tank to play Ranji Trophy in order to make a comeback to the Test team but the flamboyant keeper-batter has reportedly said he was "working on certain technical aspects" of his game and was not ready for red-ball cricket.

The 25-year-old from Patna, who is currently training with his Mumbai Indians skipper Hardik Pandya in Baroda, is set to make a comeback to competitive cricket for his employers Reserve Bank of India in Mumbai's DY Patil T20 tournament.

DY Patil T20 is a tournament where most of the office teams take part and a lot of players tune up for the cash-rich IPL by playing in the event.

It is Kishan's reluctance to play first-class cricket and focus only on the IPL that forced the BCCI to make a minimum number of Ranji Trophy games mandatory for players in order to be eligible for the cash-rich league's lucrative auction pool.

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Jay Shah warns Cricketers skipping domestic cricket

'He is a youngster. There is no need to mention his name. It applies to everyone. Everyone under contract and ones being targetted too. All players will have no choice but to play domestic cricket," Jay Shah told the media.

"They have been informed on phone already and I'm going to write letters as well that if your chairman of selectors, your coach and your captain are asking for it then you will have to play red-ball cricket." 

"Whatever advice we get from the NCA — say suppose somebody's body is not able to handle both white-ball and red-ball cricket — so we do not want to impose anything in that regard," he added.

"(It applies to) whoever is fit and young — we are not going to tolerate any other tantrums. This message is for all centrally contracted players. Everyone will have to play, otherwise, the chairman of the selection committee has given me his suggestions and I am going to give him a free hand to let him take his own calls freely," Shah said.

(with PTI inputs)