The BCCI revealed its annual retainership contracts for 34 players from the senior men’s team. Despite being out of action for India since November 2023, Ishan Kishan was reinstated with a central contract.
The BCCI’s annual retainership contracts for the 2024-25 season included some unexpected decisions. Central contracts were awarded to 34 players, with Shreyas Iyer and Ishan Kishan making a comeback after missing out the previous year.
While Shreyas Iyer’s inclusion was mostly anticipated, Ishan Kishan’s return raised some questions. The wicketkeeper-batter, currently representing SunRisers Hyderabad in IPL 2025, hasn’t played any international matches during the contract cycle spanning from October 1, 2024, to September 30, 2025.
Ishan Kishan last played for India during the home T20I series against Australia in November 2023. He later joined the squad for the South Africa tour as a reserve wicketkeeper but didn’t get a chance to feature in any matches. Midway through the tour, he headed back home, mentioning the need for rest after a demanding schedule.
Earlier, both Shreyas Iyer and Ishan Kishan faced consequences for not giving priority to domestic cricket, despite the BCCI’s clear directive urging contracted players to actively participate in domestic competitions.
However, during the 2024-25 season, both cricketers consistently represented their state teams — Mumbai for Shreyas and Jharkhand for Ishan.
Shreyas made his way back into the Indian squad for an ODI series in August 2024 and played a crucial role in India’s Champions Trophy victory.
On the other hand, Ishan was part of the India A side that toured Australia for two four-day matches ahead of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, indicating he was still in the BCCI’s long-term plans. Having previously featured across all three formats for India, the board likely considered his past contributions while restoring his central contract.