The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has released the Annual Player Contracts for Team India (Senior Men) for the 2022-23 season. The decision to update the contracts was taken during the Apex Council meeting in December last year. However, it was put on hold for the new selection committee to take charge. The contracts determine the retainer fee for the players and are divided into four categories- A+, A, B, and C.
The most notable change in the contract list was the promotion of Ravindra Jadeja to the A+ grade. He is now placed alongside Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and Jasprit Bumrah. Jadeja has been a consistent performer for the Indian cricket team and was well-deserving candidate for the promotion. The A+ category is the highest retainer fee category in the contract list.
Hardik Pandya, who was recently announced as the new ODI vice-captain, received a promotion from Grade B to Grade A in the contract list. Pandya will now receive an INR 5 crores retainer fee. Shubman Gill and Suryakumar Yadav also received promotions in the central contracts, moving from Grade C to Grade B.
On the other hand, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Ishant Sharma, Hanuma Vihari and Ajinkya Rahane have lost their central contracts. The decision was made due to their recent performances, which have not been up to the mark.
Players like Arshdeep Singh, KS Bharat, Washington Sundar, Deepak Hooda, Kuldeep Yadav, Yuzvendra Chahal, Ishan Kishan and Shardul Thakur were included in Grade C.
While some players lost their central contracts, others managed to hold onto them but were demoted to lower grades. Shikhar Dhawan, who has been struggling with his form recently, managed to retain his central contract but was demoted to Grade C. Cheteshwar Pujara, KL Rahul, Shreyas Iyer and Mohammed Siraj completed Grade B with Rahul being demoted from Grade A. Meanwhile, Akshar Patel, Ravichandran Ashwin, Mohammad Shami and Rishabh Pant were retained in Grade A.
Here is the complete list of India men’s cricketers central contracts:
- Grade A+ (INR 7 crores): Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Jasprit Bumrah, Ravindra Jadeja
- Grade A (INR 5 crores): Hardik Pandya, Akshar Patel, Ravichandran Ashwin, Mohammad Shami, Rishabh Pant
- Grade B (INR 3 crores): Cheteshwar Pujara, KL Rahul, Shreyas Iyer, Suryakumar Yadav, Shubman Gill, Mohammed Siraj
- Grade C (INR 1 crore): Umesh Yadav, Shikhar Dhawan, Shardul Thakur, Ishan Kishan, Deepak Hooda, Yuzvendra Chahal, Kuldeep Yadav, Washington Sundar, Sanju Samson, Arshdeep Singh, KS Bharat.
Overall, the new contracts for the Indian cricket team reflect the recent performances of the players. It is a positive move by the BCCI to promote deserving players and motivate them to continue performing well. The contracts also provide an opportunity for the players to earn a substantial income and ensure their financial stability.
