Mumbai Ranji skipper Ajinkya Rahane threw his weight behind Shreyas Iyer after the latter's central contract was terminated by the BCCI on Wednesday.

This came after Iyer had not participated in Mumbai's quarterfinal match against Baroda complaining of back pain.

'He's an experienced player. His contribution has been amazing whenever he turned up for Mumbai. We are thrilled to have him in our team for the semifinal,' Rahane said before his team takes on Tamil Nadu in the Ranji semifinals.

'I don't think he needs any encouragement or advice. He has always contributed with the bat for Mumbai, and him being around other players in the dressing room will also help the team's cause,' the Mumbai skipper added.

On Wednesday, in an unprecedented move, which sent a strong message to those skipping domestic cricket, the BCCI had dropped Shreyas Iyer and Ishan Kishan from the annual contract list.

The decision comes after the two players refused to turn up for their domestic sides despite BCCI secretary Jay Shah sending a strongly-worded letter to all the contracted players to feature in domestic cricket. Hardik Pandya, another player who hasn't played any cricket since the World Cup, and was recovering from an ankle injury, though keeps his place in Grade A.

It is understood that the call to drop both the players, who were integral part of the Indian team across all formats in 2023, was taken by the secretary after the selectors recommended so.

Missing out on the central contract is significant for the both with the T20 World Cup to be played in three months' time. It is understood that the chances of the two making the cut for the event in the US and the Caribbean is bleak and could potentially have an impact on theirimmediate future with the national team.

The contract snub comes at a crucial juncture for both the players, who were very much part of India's scheme of things, especially in white-ball cricket.