Amid row, Kapil Dev supports BCCI for putting the focus back on Ranji Trophy and domestic cricket competitions

"Yes, few players will suffer, kuch logon ko taqleef hogi, hone do lekin desh se badhkar koi nahi hai (some people will feel hurt but let it be because nobody is bigger than the country). Well done," Kapil said.

He added, "I congratulate the BCCI for taking the much needed step to protect the status of domestic cricket. I was sad to see domestic cricket being given the skip by players once they had established themselves in international cricket. It was high time the message was given and this strong step by the BCCI will go a long way in restoring the prestige of domestic cricket."

Ishan Kishan had left the Indian squad midway through the tour of South Africa due to personal reasons and he opted to train with his Mumbai Indians (MI) captain Hardik Pandya in Vadodra. He thus missed turning up for Jharkhand in the Ranji Trophy. Similarly, Shreyas Iyer didn't play for Mumbai in the red-ball tournament after being dropped from the Indian team post the second Test against England.

"I have always believed in the process of international players making themselves available to play for their respective states. It helps them extend their support to domestic players. Also it is a nice way to pay back for the services rendered by the state association in grooming a player," Kapil said.

Meanwhile, the BCCI is reportedly also considering raising the pay for players committed to playing red-ball cricket, which includes hiking the match fees for Ranji Trophy so that the total amount they earn at the end of the year is on par with the worth of an average basic Indian Premier League (IPL) deal.