The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is maintaining a strict policy regarding the participation of centrally-contracted players in domestic cricket. According to BCCI guidelines from last year, players with central contracts must compete in domestic matches for their state teams when they are fit and not representing the national team.
Previously, Shreyas Iyer and Ishan Kishan did not adhere to these guidelines, which resulted in their exclusion from BCCI central contracts.
Following the communication of this policy last February, the BCCI stated that athletes should prioritize domestic cricket when they are not playing for the national team.
Recently, ahead of the Indian Premier League 2025, BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia reaffirmed the Board’s stance.
“It’s important to note a guideline we’ve reinforced: all players must participate in domestic tournaments when available,” Saikia mentioned to Times of India.
However, he clarified that players can be excused from domestic matches if necessary. He explained that to skip domestic cricket, players need to get approval from the Indian head coach and the chairman of the selection committee.
“This measure encourages young players to play alongside senior players. It also helps senior players stay active in the game when they are not engaged in international fixtures,” he added.
India secured their third Champions Trophy title by defeating New Zealand in the final by four wickets.
BCCI president Roger Binny stated that this Champions Trophy victory demonstrates India’s robust cricket system.
“This marks our second ICC Trophy in 2025, following the ICC U19 Women’s World Cup win, emphasizing the strong cricket infrastructure in our nation,” he said.
In fact, this was India’s third ICC trophy in the past eight months, including last year’s T20 World Cup victory against South Africa.
BCCI secretary Saikia commented that this victory validates India’s leading position in white-ball cricket formats.
“Their dominance in world cricket is the outcome of years of dedication and strategic planning. This win confirms India’s top rank in white-ball cricket, and we are confident the team will continue to excel,” Saikia said.
India showed strong performance throughout the Champions Trophy, achieving four convincing wins leading up to the final.
