‘Shreyas Iyer was fit and available for selection…’ – NCA’s head e-mail raises eyebrows as star batter opts out of Ranji Trophy fixture

Head of Sports Science and Medicine at the National Cricket Academy Nitin Patel sent an email to Indian Cricket Board selectors a day after India’s star cricketer Shreyas Iyer informed the Mumbai Cricket Association that he was unavailable for selection for the Ranji Trophy quarterfinals, confirming that there were ‘no fresh injury’ reports and he was ‘fit’.

The 30-year-old cricketer withdrew from the Ranji Trophy quarterfinal match against Baroda, citing back pain as the reason. Meanwhile, the middle-order batter scored 35, 13, 27, and 39 in the first two Test matches against England. However, the star cricketer was later ruled out of the last three Test matches owing to his poor form. The stylish right-handed batter suffered a back injury that kept him out of the IPL last year.

“Shreyas Iyer was fit and available for selection as per the handover report of the Indian team after the 2nd Test match against England. There are currently no fresh injuries reported as well after his departure from Team India,” NCA head Nitin Patel said.

Shreyas Iyer is set to feature in IPL 2024 as the KKR skipper

Meanwhile, Indian Cricket Board secretary Jay Shah revealed some of the players are focusing on the IPL over playing domestic games. The cricket administrator lashed out and clarified that domestic games should be the priority of the payers as they help Team India build the foundation of the game. Moreover, Jay Shah reveals that players’ presence in domestic games plays a crucial role in selection and non-selection in the Test squad.

“There is a recent trend that has started to emerge and is a cause for concern. Some players have begun prioritizing 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.  Performance in domestic cricket remains a critical yardstick for selection and non-participation in domestic cricket will carry severe implications,” Jay Shah said in the letter.