India's all-format batsman Shreyas Iyer not getting a BCCI annual contract has surprised Kolkata Knight Riders's head coach Chandrakant Pandit.

BCCI announced a list of 30 contracted players on Wednesday, in which India captain Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Jasprit Bumrah and Ravindra Jadeja have been retained in the top Grade ‘A’ plus category.

Mumbai’s Iyer, 29, has only played a single Ranji Trophy game—against Andhra Pradesh this season (in January).

No contract for Kishan

India wicketkeeper-batsman Ishan Kishan too has not got a contract.

Please note that Shreyas Iyer and Ishan Kishan were not considered for the annual contracts in this round of recommendations,” the BCCI said in a press release on Wednesday evening.

“It’s surprising that Shreyas was not considered for the annual contracts, because he is India’s all-format player. We don’t know the reason, but I think he should walk into the pool of India’s contracted players,” Pandit told mid-day from Nagpur on Wednesday.

Iyer, who missed Mumbai’s Ranji Trophy quarter-final against Baroda, has conveyed to Mumbai’s chief selector Raju Kulkarni that he wants to play in the semi-final against Tamil Nadu, starting on March 2 at MCA-BKC.