BCCIファストボウリング契約混乱の概要：6件中3件が怪我をしやすく、1件はまあまあのテスト、2件は無視

BCCIは、マヤンク・ヤダブ、ウムラン・マリク、ヤシュ・ダヤル、ヴィジェイクマール・ヴィシャク、ヴィドワス・カベラッパ、アカシュ・ディープにファストボウリング契約を与えることを決定した。しかし、これまでに何か役に立ったでしょうか？

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) decided to introduce fast-bowling contracts to six pacers in February 2024. The goal of the programme was to nurture future pacers, enhance the bench strength and lastly help these selected bowlers nurse injuries at the NCA, if required. But the programme’s goal has turned out to be quite the opposite. Out of six pacers who were awarded contracts, three are injury-prone out of which two are currently at the NCA in Bengaluru recovering from injuries. One has turned out to be a Test regular – the only silver lining in the cloud. As for the remaining two pacers, they seem to have been all but forgotten.

BCCI fast-bowling contracts mess

1. NCA monitoring workload the only plus

Mayank Yadav, Umran Malik and Yash Dayal are among the six pacers to get the BCCI fast bowling contracts. All three pacers are injury-prone and have hardly played for India since securing the contracts. In fact, Umran hasn’t even made a single appearance since he was given the deal.

Mayank, who has an history of dealing with injuries, has been on the sidelines more than being on the field. His struggles with injuries began in 2022 and has been boggled by to date, with blows to his body ranging from side strain to back issues. Clearly, bowling 150+ kmph deliveries alone shouldn’t have been the criteria to give him a special contract. But the BCCI thought so otherwise and has quite obviously erred.

Umran Malik is another bowler who comes under the radar for being injured more than being fit. After shooting to fame in his limited appearances in the IPL, he has done very little to keep himself out of injury. Ever since making his IPL debut in 2021, he has played only 26 matches. To make matters worse, he has never played a full IPL season barring 2022. His last international game came in 2023 following which he has stayed out of the picture.

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Yash Dayal is yet to make his Team India debut despite having a contract. The BCCI’s decision to fast-track the bowler has backfired, with the bowler spending time at the NCA where he underwent a rigorous training regime and workload management. But he never made it to the big stage. In fact, he replaced Khaleel Ahmed in IND vs AUS Test series, only to be sent back home to participate in Vijay Hazare Trophy. Apart from playing Ranji Trophy and IPL, Dayal has done nothing significant yet that warrants for him to possess the contract.

2. Akash Deep the only plus

If there is one bowler who has made optimum use of the contract, then it is Akash Deep. After making his debut in IND vs ENG Test series in 2024, the bowler has gone on to become a regular in the Indian Test side. He even featured in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy where he fared decently well, playing third fiddle to Bumrah & Siraj. And it looks like he is here to stay in the Test picture for a long time too.

3. Where are Vyshak and Kaverappa?

Karnataka’s Vijaykumar Vyshak and Vidwath Kaverappa were also awarded the contracts by the BCCI. But they are no where to be seen in the selectors’ scheme of things, forcing one to wonder why were they even given the contracts then. Both bowlers have been toiling hard for Karnataka in the domestic circuit. But like always, performers in the domestic cricket have always been ignored. Instead , selections to teams across formats have solely been made based on IPL stardom.