'If they would have got the contracts....' - Former Pakistan captain opines about exclusion of Ishan Kishan and Shreyas Iyer from central contract

Amidst the row between the Indian Cricket Board and the duo, Ishan Kishan and Shreyas Iyer, the former Pakistan Captain, Kamran Akmal has shown his support towards the Board's decision. As per Akmal, the players should be responsible and shouldn't opt out of international or domestic tournaments. This becomes a bad example for the rest of the young generation. 

Akmal said, "The Indian Cricket Board has taken the right decision. If Iyer and Ishan had got the contracts, other Indian players would have behaved in the same fashion in the future. It is important to tell everyone that they are not bigger than the game. Nobody will dare to skip the matches from now onwards. This is a proof of good management."

This action by the board will serve as a perfect example for the young generation to not avoid domestic tournaments. Ishan had opted out of the South Africa series due to mental fatigue. However, the issue arose when he didn't return to play any match after the ODI World Cup. Similarly, when Iyer was dropped from the team, ideally he was supposed to play in the Ranji match quarter-finals for Mumbai. He didn't play the match with the reason of his injury. However, he was fit as per the National Cricket Academy. Thus, they were excluded from the contract. 

Inclusion of young players in central contract 2023-24

The exclusion of Ishan Kishan and Shreyas Iyer might be a topic of debate for the whole country, but the inclusion of young players like Rinku Singh and Ruturaj Gaikwad was a wise move. Even though the players who are added to the Grade C list haven't played a lot of matches for the country, the way the Board has acknowledged their efforts and contributions towards the team was commendable.

The Board has included players like Tilak Verma, Shivam Dube, Ravi Bisnoi, Jitesh Sharma, KS Bharat, and Rajat Patidar. This small step shows how important the players are for the country and if they give their best to the team and their country, they'll also get the same respect in return.