"No one is bigger than the game" - Madan Lal on Shreyas Iyer and Ishan Kishan's exclusion from annual BCCI contract

Former Indian coach Madan Lal feels Shreyas Iyer and Ishan Kishan should have played the Ranji Trophy games upon BCCI's latest directive to avoid getting axed from the annual contract list.

Shreyas and Kishan neither played for India nor their states, Mumbai and Jharkhand, respectively, in the ongoing Ranji season, leading to their exclusion. While Kishan opted out during the South African tour last year, citing mental fatigue, Iyer was left out from the Indian squad after the second Test of the ongoing series against England.

In an interview with TOI, Madan Lal welcomed BCCI's mandate on players playing first-class cricket by saying:

"If the BCCI told them to play first-class cricket, they should have gone and played. No one is bigger than the game. The BCCI should be given the credit as they are making it mandatory to play first-class cricket. Most of the players nowadays are taking first-class cricket for granted because of the IPL. Definitely, the BCCI made a rule that every player should go and play first-class cricket. So if you don't follow the rules, then they have to take some action and set an example for others."

Shreyas and Kishan were also part of the Indian squad that advanced to the 2023 World Cup final at home in November last year.

While the former is back in the squad for Mumbai's Ranji Trophy semi-final against Tamil Nadu, he did not make himself available for their quarter-final outing.

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"There is no doubt about their class" - Madan Lal

Despite the latest setback, Madan Lal felt Shreyas Iyer and Ishan Kishan could return to the side by showcasing fitness and form in first-class cricket.

The pair have played for India in all three formats and were vital cogs to the side, especially in the white-ball formats.

"They have to play (first-class cricket) if they are fit. The main thing is fitness. If they are fit, then they can play the first-class season. But a good season in IPL can always be beneficial, and there is no doubt about their class. They have done so well here and there. But it is the BCCI making sure that the boys are disciplined," said Madan Lal.

Madan Lal further credited India's bench strength and emphasized its importance in producing excellent results.

"It is true that players like Sarfaraz and Jurel are coming. But Kishan and Shreyas here have done well. It's not that they are there without the performances. But the good thing is that we have a bench strength to replace them. And it's very, very important to have team B as well as discipline within the team if we want to produce a better result," concluded Madan Lal.

Team India had several Test debutants in the ongoing England series, including Dhruv Jurel, Sarfaraz Khan, Rajat Patidar, and Akash Deep.

Yet, they remain unconquerable at home, taking an unassailable 3-1 lead in the five-match series with one game to go.