What perks will Iyer and Kishan miss out after being removed from BCCI Contract?

The BCCI (Board of Control for Cricket in India) announced central contracts for the 2023-24 season on Wednesday, February 28. In a substantial move, the board decided to withdraw Ishan Kishan and Shreyas Iyer from the list of contracted players, citing their reported absence from domestic matches.

Notably, Iyer played one game for Mumbai in the ongoing Ranji Trophy 2024, which was against Andhra Pradesh in the second week of January 2024, and has made himself available for their semi-final fixture against Tamil Nadu. However, he reportedly skipped the quarter-final due to some bizarre reasons which didn’t go down well with the selectors.

On the other hand, Kishan has also started playing in the DY Patil T20 Cup for RBI after a firm warning from the BCCI secretary, Jay Shah. However, it’s all too late for the star cricketers as they’ve already been removed from the list. Being a centrally contracted player brings with it some special perks which both Iyer and Kishan won’t be entitled to anymore.

Also Read: BCCI announce central contracts for 2023-24 season, Iyer-Kishan face the axe

Notably, a centrally contracted player under BCCI earns a specific amount annually irrespective of them getting a chance in the playing XI. Players listed in Grade A+ earns INR 7 crore per year, followed by INR 5 crore, INR 3 crore, and INR 1 crore for those in A, B, and C, respectively. However, both Iyer and Kishan who were in Grade B and C, respectively, won’t be getting any compensation now.

Iyer and Kishan won't be able to visit NCA without state associations' permission

Additionally, a player with a central contract is permitted to frequent the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru and avail themselves of its amenities as required. However, both Iyer and Kishan won’t be able to use the NCA’s state-of-the-art facilities for rehabilitation directly and would need clearance from their respective state associations.

Also Read: BCCI ponders over matching red-ball fee with IPL contracts

Hence, the duo will be at a massive loss after being axed by the BCCI, but hopefully, they will be even more motivated to make a return to the national team. Both Iyer and Kishan will be next seen playing in the Indian Premier League 2024 for Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and Mumbai Indians (MI), respectively, where they will be keen to leave an indelible mark with their performances.