'Hardik Pandya has agreed to...': Jay Shah reveals major decision has been taken by BCCI on Hardik

Jay Shah, the secretary of the BCCI, recently gave updates on a number of important issues pertaining to cricket. He notably mentioned the lack of a decision on IPL retentions for the next cycle and emphasised the dedication of star all-rounder Hardik Pandya to participating in domestic white-ball competitions.

Shah's observations came after talks over the BCCI's yearly central contracts for the 2024–2025 season. Hardik Pandya was upgraded to a Grade A core contract in spite of recent fitness concerns. Some players, including Shreyas Iyer and Ishan Kishan, may have been left off the list because they seemed to prefer playing in the Indian Premier League over local cricket when they weren't on the national side.

Shah made a big statement about Hardik's participation in domestic white-ball competitions, including as the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy and the Vijay Hazare Trophy. This choice highlights Hardik's value as one of the best white-ball players in India and his dedication to advancing domestic cricket.

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What did Jay Shah say about Hardik Pandya?

"Yes, I had spoken with them. Media had even carried the reports," he said.

"Even Hardik (Pandya) said if BCCI is considering me for white-ball, then I am ready to play Vijay Hazare Trophy and Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. Any player will have to play, even if they do not want to, they will have to," Shah continued.

Talking about high scores in this year's IPL, Shah said ultimately, it comes down to who is playing well and who, as a player, can sustain performance.

"Whoever plays well in the IPL... like say Ishan Kishan, he finds it difficult to take part with the Indian team but he can play in Mumbai Indians as a player. There he can play in a relaxed manner.

"In Team India, you have to prove yourself, give back to back performances. The one who can handle that can be described as a right player," he added.

Shah also revealed details of his conversation with Kishan, which took place after Mumbai Indians' match against Gujarat Titans.

"No, I did not advise him anything. It was just a friendly talk that he should do well and I speak with all players like that," he said.

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While there have been a few media reports mentioning an increase in the match fees for domestic players in the country, Shah said there is no such plan.

"We have increased the pay anyway and also incentivised Test cricket. We had increased the pay by 100 per cent in 2022," Shah added.

(With PTI inputs)