BCCI revealed the Annual Player Contracts for Team India (Senior Men) for the 2023-24 season, with the notable absence of Shreyas Iyer and Ishan Kishan from the list of recipients.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has unveiled the much-anticipated Annual Player Contracts for Team India (Senior Men) for the 2023-24 season, covering the period from October 1st, 2023, to September 30th, 2024.
The contracts are structured into four categories, with Grade A+ featuring four top athletes, namely Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Jasprit Bumrah, and Ravindra Jadeja.
There are six athletes in Grade A, including R Ashwin, Mohd. Shami, Mohd. Siraj, KL Rahul, Shubman Gill, and Hardik Pandya.
Grade B comprises five talented individuals, such as Surya Kumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant, Kuldeep Yadav, Axar Patel, and Yashasvi Jaiswal.
Meanwhile, Grade C encompasses a pool of 15 athletes, ranging from emerging talents to seasoned players, including names like Shardul Thakur, Washington Sundar, Sanju Samson, and Prasidh Krishna.
Notably, athletes meeting specific performance criteria, such as participating in a minimum number of Tests, ODIs, or T20Is within the designated period, will automatically be included in Grade C on a pro-rata basis. This provision allows for potential adjustments based on ongoing series, with players like Dhruv Jurel and Sarfaraz Khan poised to enter Grade C if they meet the specified criteria in the upcoming Dharamsala Test against England.
Shreyas Iyer and Ishan Kishan were excluded from annual contracts, reportedly due to their non-compliance with BCCI’s directive to play Ranji Trophy matches for their state teams. Speculation had circulated earlier regarding their omission.
Meanwhile, the Selection Committee also proposed Fast Bowling contracts for Akash Deep, Vijaykumar Vyshak, Umran Malik, Yash Dayal, and Vidwath Kaverappa.
Additionally, BCCI emphasized the importance of prioritizing participation in domestic cricket during periods when athletes are not representing the national team.
Last Updated on February 28, 2024
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