I can observe that young players have adopted an IPL-centric mindset: Manoj Tiwary

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has recently issued a warning to its centrally contracted players and members of the wider target pool not to prioritise the Indian Premier League (IPL) over domestic cricket. Former Indian cricketer Manoj Tiwary believes this has just pointed out the concerns he has raised about India's first-class competition over the years.

In a recent X (formerly Twitter) post, Tiwary outlined many issues with the domestic cricket setup. He stated that, in his opinion, the BCCI's direction might not have been granted if he had not shared it on X. He continued by saying that the BCCI secretary had now put pressure on the players as a result of his post.

"In hindsight, I feel that the directive issued by the BCCI might not have been given had I not posted it on X. Perhaps my post prompted the BCCI secretary to put the players under pressure now. The seriousness they have shown by taking this step in the crucial stage of the Ranji Trophy indicates their concern that many players, especially high-profile ones who have succeeded in the IPL with limited first-class cricket, are not giving enough importance to the Ranji Trophy," Tiwary was quoted as saying by ESPNcricinfo.

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"Ranji trophy should be scrapped from the calendar from the next season onwards. So many things going wrong in the tournament. So many things need to be looked into in order to save this prestigious tournament which has a rich history. It's losing its charm and importance. Absolutely frustrated,” Tiwary’s X post read.

Jay Shah, BCCI secretary, wrote about "severe implications" for anybody who puts IPL ahead of domestic cricket in an email earlier this month. 

"Some players have begun prioritising the IPL over domestic cricket, a shift that was not anticipated. Domestic cricket has always been the foundation upon which Indian cricket stands, and it has never been undervalued in our vision for the sport," Shah wrote. 

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Tiwary went on to say that he believes young players have become IPL-centric, which undermines the importance of the esteemed Ranji Trophy.

"I can observe that young players have adopted an IPL-centric mindset. Those who don't play IPL often go to Dubai or other places whenever they find some free time. However, this trend is diminishing the significance of the prestigious Ranji Trophy. IPL is a massive platform for all of us, but I also request the BCCI president and secretary to increase the significance of the Ranji Trophy," Tiwary added.