The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has not yet declared the central contracts for men’s cricket, which has raised speculation regarding possible modifications, particularly in the top A+ grade. As Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and Ravindra Jadeja have retired from T20 internationals, their places within the topmost remunerative slab are being debated.
While the BCCI has just announced the women’s central contract list of 16 players in three grades, the men’s contracts that include 30 players last year are likely to be announced shortly.
A+ Category Under Review: Will Kohli, Rohit, and Jadeja Keep Their Places?
The A+ category, which carries an annual retainership of ₹7 crore, is reserved for players who feature across all three formats. Last year, Jasprit Bumrah, Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and Ravindra Jadeja were the recipients of this elite contract.
Since Rohit, Kohli, and Jadeja have retired from T20Is, they are active only in Tests and ODIs, and one wonders if they are still A+ eligible. Bumrah is the only player who is guaranteed to play all three formats and is even being thought of as India’s future Test captain.
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In spite of this, a powerful group in the BCCI wishes to keep things as they are, and Rohit, Kohli, and Jadeja should be allowed to keep their A+ contracts.
Grade A Shake-Up: Axar Patel’s Likely Promotion
Grade A players receive ₹5 crore annually, but there will be some shuffling in this category. Ravichandran Ashwin, who has just retired from international cricket, will not be included in the list anymore.
At the same time, vice-captaincy for India’s T20I series against England for Axar Patel means he is a likely pick to be promoted from Grade B to Grade A. Axar has played regularly in both ODIs and T20Is and played 14 Tests as well, and his case to upgrade is strong.
Shreyas Iyer’s Probable Return to Central Contracts
Having missed the list of contracts last year, Shreyas Iyer is now virtually guaranteed to head back to one of the four grades. He has played 11 ODIs this season, meeting the performance criteria laid out by the board for central contract eligibility.
How Players Qualify For Central Contracts
To be eligible for a BCCI central contract, a player must have played in at least:
Three Test matches OR
Eight ODIs OR
Ten T20Is per calendar year.
This performance indicator makes sure that active players only, who significantly contribute across all formats, get featured.
Young Stars To Be Offered First-Time Contracts
Some young talents are likely to enter the Grade C category (₹1 crore annually) for the first time:
Yashasvi Jaiswal: His solid performances across the board might find him getting upgraded from Grade B to a more premium category.
Akash Deep: The Bengal seamer, having featured in seven Test matches, qualifies for a central contract.
Sarfaraz Khan: Having played three Tests this season, he will find his name in Grade C.
Nitish Kumar Reddy: Having played the entire Border-Gavaskar series (five Tests) and four T20Is, he will be automatically included.
Shardul Thakur & Ruturaj Gaikwad in Danger of Missing Out
Not every player from the previous year’s contract list is automatically in this time. Shardul Thakur and Ruturaj Gaikwad, who were included in the earlier contracts, have not played sufficient matches to qualify under the required criteria.
The ultimate decision, however, rests with the BCCI selection committee, head coach, and secretary, who can make exceptions based on future strategies and team needs.
Final Announcement Expected Soon
With talks still being held within the BCCI, the ultimate contract list will be out in the next few days. Whether the board chooses a status quo or a complete overhaul in the A+ grade is to be seen, but big alterations in other grades are almost certain.
(With PTI Inputs)
