Former India fast bowler
Praveen Kumar
did not mince words when asked about his views on the controversy around
Shreyas Iyer
and
Ishan Kishan
, who have been removed from
BCCI
's list of contracted players for allegedly not making themselves available for selection in domestic cricket when fit and not on national duty.
Speaking on a YouTube show, Kumar supported BCCI's latest diktat, which makes it mandatory for all contracted players to play domestic cricket.
However, he added that the rule should apply to all players, including
Hardik Pandya
-- who kept his place in the list of contracted players despite being out of action for more than three months following an ankle injury during the ODI World Cup.
"Hardik Pandya chaand se thodi utar ke aaya hai? Khelna padega isko bhi. Kyun iske liye alag niyam hai? Isko bhi board ko dhamkana chahiye (Hardik Pandya hasn't come from the moon? He too has to play. Why there are different rules for him? The BCCI should reprimand him as well)," said Kumar on Shubhankar Mishra's show on YouTube.
Pandya has been retained in the 'A' category of BCCI's annual contracts.
"Play all three formats. Or have you played 60-70 Test matches that you will just play T20?" Kumar questioned in context of Pandya. "The country needs you. If you don't want to play Test cricket, give it in writing.".
After BCCI's contract snub, Iyer played the
Ranji Trophy
semifinal and final for Mumbai; but Kishan did not feature in Jharkhand's Ranji Trophy matches.
"Maybe Pandya has been informed that he would not be considered for Tests," Kumar added.
Hardik will lead Mumbai Indians in the upcoming IPL season beginning March 22. He has replaced Rohit Sharma at the helm after returning to his former franchise, having led Gujarat Titans in the last two seasons of the IPL.
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