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BCCI central contracts – BCCI unveiled the comprehensive list of central contracts for the 2023-24 season on February 28, Wednesday, covering the period from October 1, 2023, to September 30, 2024.

Among the 30 players granted BCCI central contracts, notable recipients of Grade A+ contracts, valued at INR 7 Cr, were Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Jasprit Bumrah, and Ravindra Jadeja.

A major focal point arising from the announcement was the omission of star batsmen Shreyas Iyer and Ishan Kishan from the roster. The duo reportedly did not secure contracts due to their non-compliance with BCCI directives related to participation in first-class cricket.

Despite a stellar performance in the World Cup with India, Shreyas Iyer faced a challenging period in Test cricket, leading to his exclusion from the squad for the final three matches of the five-game Test series against England.

Subsequently, Iyer opted out of participation in the Ranji Trophy 2024, citing back pain as the reason. However, this explanation was met with disapproval from the BCCI, with reports indicating that the National Cricket Academy (NCA) had deemed Iyer fully fit. Presently, he has declared his availability and secured a place in the Mumbai squad for the semi-final clash against Tamil Nadu.

In contrast, Ishan Kishan opted for a personal break during the December 2023 South Africa tour and remained inactive until very recently. Despite the BCCI’s warning, he did not partake in any of the Ranji Trophy matches and only recently made a comeback to competitive cricket in the DY Patil T20 Cup.

The official media release from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) explicitly stated, “Please be informed that Shreyas Iyer and Ishan Kishan were not considered for the annual contracts in this round of recommendations.”

Additionally, the BCCI issued a stern directive to players, emphasizing the obligation to participate in domestic cricket when not representing the Indian National Cricket Team and not sidelined due to injury.

The BCCI has advised that priority should be given to engaging in domestic cricket when athletes are not actively representing the national team, the board emphasized.

For the 2023-24 season, KL Rahul, Shubman Gill, and Mohammed Siraj have earned promotions, transitioning from Grade B to Grade A, while Kuldeep Yadav has ascended from Grade C to B.

On the other hand, spin-bowling all-rounder Axar Patel and wicketkeeper-batsman Rishabh Pant experienced demotions, shifting from Grade A to Grade B. Pant’s demotion was anticipated, given his absence from matches for the India National Cricket Team since the unfortunate road accident in 2022.

Discussing the latest additions, newcomers such as Yashasvi Jaiswal, Rinku Singh, Tilak Verma, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Shivam Dube, Ravi Bishnoi, Jitesh Sharma, Mukesh Kumar, Prasidh Krishna, Avesh Khan, and Rajat Patidar have secured their inaugural BCCI central contracts. Notably, Yashasvi Jaiswal is the sole recipient of a Grade B contract, while the remaining players have been granted Grade C contracts.

Conversely, the omitted players encompass Ishan Kishan, Shreyas Iyer, Cheteshwar Pujara, Shikhar Dhawan, Umesh Yadav, Deepak Hooda, and Yuzvendra Chahal. The rationale behind the exclusion of Kishan and Iyer is attributed to disciplinary issues, while the remaining players are no longer considered part of India’s strategic plans.

Simultaneously, the BCCI has declared that players fulfilling the criteria of featuring in a minimum of 3 Tests, 8 ODIs, or 10 T20Is during the stipulated period will be automatically enlisted in Grade C on a pro-rata basis. Consequently, individuals such as Dhruv Jurel and Sarfaraz Khan, presently engaged in the ongoing five-match home Test series against England, will be eligible for contracts following their involvement in the series’ 5th and final Test. # BCCI central contracts

Players Promoted

KL Rahul, Mohammed Siraj, and Shubman Gill (moved from Grade B to A), along with Kuldeep Yadav (upgraded from Grade C to B).

Players Demoted

Axar Patel and Rishabh Pant, both transitioning from Grade A to B.

Newly Added Players

Yashasvi Jaiswal (Grade B) and others such as Rinku Singh, Tilak Varma, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Shivam Dube, Ravi Bishnoi, Jitesh Sharma, Mukesh Kumar, Prasidh Krishna, Avesh Khan, and Rajat Patidar (all in Grade C).

Players Omitted

Shreyas Iyer (demoted from Grade B), and Ishan Kishan, Umesh Yadav, Cheteshwar Pujara, Shikhar Dhawan, Deepak Hooda, and Yuzvendra Chahal (all excluded from Grade C).

The Team India Annual Player Contracts for the 2023-24 season are as follows: BCCI central contracts

Grade A+ (4 Athletes):

• Rohit Sharma
• Virat Kohli
• Jasprit Bumrah
• Ravindra Jadeja

Grade A (6 Athletes):

• R Ashwin
• Mohd. Shami
• Mohd. Siraj
• KL Rahul
• Shubman Gill
• Hardik Pandya

Grade B (5 Athletes):

• Surya Kumar Yadav
• Rishabh Pant
• Kuldeep Yadav
• Axar Patel
• Yashasvi Jaiswal

Grade C (15 Athletes):

• Rinku Singh
• Tilak Verma
• Ruturaj Gaekwad
• Shardul Thakur
• Shivam Dube
• Ravi Bishnoi
• Jitesh Sharma
• Washington Sundar
• Mukesh Kumar
• Sanju Samson
• Arshdeep Singh
• KS Bharat
• Prasidh Krishna
• Avesh Khan
• Rajat Patidar

# BCCI central contracts

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