• Home
  • Cricket News
  • Hardik Pandya Commits To Play Domestic Matches To Secure His Bcci Grade A Contract

Hardik Pandya Commits To Play Domestic Matches To Secure His BCCI Grade ‘A’ Contract

Hardik Pandya assures BCCI with white-ball domestic commitment [x.com]Hardik Pandya assures BCCI with white-ball domestic commitment [x.com]

The recent decision by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to exclude Shreyas Iyer and Ishan Kishan from central contracts has stirred up controversy among cricket fans and experts.

The move comes as a result of their limited participation in domestic cricket, despite encouragement from the board. Former cricketer Irfan Pathan has raised questions about potential double standards in player selection, highlighting the case of star all-rounder Hardik Pandya.

Pandya's inclusion in the annual contract list has drawn scrutiny, with discussions surrounding his commitment to domestic tournaments and international duties. The Indian Express reveals that Pandya secured his contract after assuring to participate in domestic white-ball tournaments whenever he is available.


 A top BCCI official stated, "We have had discussions with Pandya, who has been told to play domestic white-ball tournaments if there are no International commitments.”

Pandya, who has been sidelined due to injury since the 2023 World Cup, has faced criticism for his selective participation in both domestic and international cricket.

Despite not featuring in Test cricket since September 2018 and expressing concerns about his injury-prone body, Pandya retained his contract in the A category, just below the top bracket.

The controversy deepens as comparisons are drawn between Pandya's situation and that of Iyer and Kishan. While Iyer played a Ranji Trophy match and participated in the Test series against England before being dropped, Kishan returned to competitive cricket at the DY Patil T20 Cup after a long absence.

With a packed Test schedule, India will only play three Twenty20 Internationals at home against Bangladesh. The Syed Mushtaq Ali T20s and the Vijay Hazare Trophy would take place between October and December when India has no white-ball fixtures scheduled. It has also been instructed that Pandya participates in both of these tournaments, barring any health problems.

As the year unfolds, it would be interesting to watch how Hardik Pandya goes about his business with his long history of injuries.