The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced the central contracts for Indian cricketers for 2024 on Wednesday, February 28, 2024. Those cricketers who excelled during the year saw upgrades in their contracts, while those who underperformed faced salary downgrades in the BCCI central contracts for 2024.
KL Rahul has been elevated from Grade B to Grade A, while Mohammed Siraj has also advanced from Grade B to Grade A. However, Rishabh Pant, sidelined from the national team due to injuries, has been demoted to Grade B.
Why was Ishan Kishan and Shreyas Iyer left out of BCCI Central Contract?
Ishan Kishan and Shreyas Iyer found themselves without a contract after failing to participate in domestic games.
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Here is the complete list of players who have been promoted or demoted in the BCCI central contract for 2024.
| Player | From | To |
|---|---|---|
| KL Rahul | Grade B | Grade A |
| Mohammed Siraj | Grade B | Grade A |
| Rishabh Pant | Grade A | Grade B |
| Axar Patel | Grade A | Grade B |
| Shubman Gill | Grade B | Grade A |
| Kuldeep Yadav | Grade C | Grade B |
BCCI Central Contract 2024
On Wednesday, the Board of Control for Cricket in India announced the 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 as follows:
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
Additionally, athletes who meet specific performance criteria, such as playing a minimum number of Tests, ODIs, or T20Is within the specified period, will automatically be included in Grade C on a pro-rata basis. For example, Dhruv Jurel and Sarfaraz Khan, having played 2 Test matches so far, will be inducted into Grade C if they participate in the upcoming Dharamsala Test Match, the 5th Test of the ongoing series against England.
The BCCI stated that Shreyas Iyer and Ishan Kishan were excluded from consideration for the annual contracts in this round of recommendations.
Additionally, the Selection Committee has proposed Fast Bowling contracts for the following athletes: Akash Deep, Vijaykumar Vyshak, Umran Malik, Yash Dayal, and Vidwath Kaverappa.
Furthermore, the BCCI has advised all athletes to prioritize participation in domestic cricket during periods when they are not representing the national team.
Ishan Kishan and Shreyas Iyer found themselves without a contract after failing to participate in domestic games. However, it’s the end of the road for veterans such as Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane.
The experienced pair has been sidelined for quite some time now. Rahane, in particular, has been struggling even in domestic competitions. Conversely, Cheteshwar Pujara has showcased remarkable form in the Ranji Trophy. Despite his consistent performances, he has not been rewarded with a contract.
BCCI Announce Squad for 5th Test vs England
KL Rahul, whose fitness for the final IDFC First Bank Test was under scrutiny, has been ruled out of the fifth and final Test in Dharamsala. The BCCI Medical Team is actively monitoring his condition and coordinating with specialists in London for further management.
In contrast, Jasprit Bumrah, who was absent from the squad during the 4th Test in Ranchi, will rejoin the team in Dharamsala for the 5th Test.
Washington Sundar has been released from the squad to join his Ranji Trophy side, Tamil Nadu, for their Semi-final fixture against Mumbai, commencing on March 2nd, 2024. He will rejoin the Indian squad after completing his domestic commitments, should the need arise for the fifth Test.
The updated Indian squad for the 5th Test includes: Rohit Sharma (Captain), Jasprit Bumrah (Vice-Captain), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill, Rajat Patidar, Sarfaraz Khan, Dhruv Jurel (Wicket-Keeper), KS Bharat (Wicket-Keeper), Devdutt Padikkal, R Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohd. Siraj, Mukesh Kumar, and Akash Deep.
Wishing you a speedy recovery @MdShami11 🙌
— BCCI (@BCCI) February 27, 2024
See you back on the field soon 💪#TeamIndia https://t.co/8d65WdCd77
Mohd. Shami underwent a successful surgery on February 26th, 2024, to address his right heel issue. His recovery is progressing smoothly, and he is expected to begin his rehabilitation process at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru shortly.
