The BCCI has released its annual player contracts for the 2022-23 season, with several players receiving their first contracts. All-rounders Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, and Hardik Pandya saw significant increases in their contracts.
Jadeja is currently the top-ranked Test all-rounder by MRF Tyres ICC, moved up to Grade A+, along with Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and Jasprit Bumrah. Hardik and Axar were also promoted to Grade A from Grade C and Grade B, respectively. Rising stars Ishan Kishan, Deepak Hooda, and Arshdeep Singh were awarded central contracts for the first time, while Kuldeep Yadav returned to form and was included in Grade C.
The contract is divided into four groups:
Grade A+ players on INR 7 crore
Grade A players on INR 5 crore
Grade B players on INR 3 crore
Grade C players on INR 1 crore.
Several players were released from the BCCI’s central contract list, while few were promoted based on their performances. The list of promoted players includes Jadeja, who received the biggest hike in his career, along with Axar and Shubman Gill, who each received a raise of INR 2 crore. Five players received central contracts for the first time, including Sanju Samson, Arshdeep Singh, KS Bharat, Ishan Kishan, and Deepak Hooda. Ajinkya Rahane, Ishant Sharma, Mayank Agarwal, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Deepak Chahar, and Hanuma Vihari were among the players who were released from their central contracts.
Former India Test vice-captain Ajinkya Rahane and Ishant Sharma were excluded from the central contracts list. They were dropped from the Test team early in 2022 and have been out since then. Mayank Agarwal also lost his opening spot in 2021 and was released from his contract.
Bhuvneshwar Kumar, who became a T20 specialist last year, has been dropped along with Deepak Chahar and Hanuma Vihari. Vihari has been dropped without being given regular chances, but he may make a return based on his form in domestic cricket.
The BCCI’s annual contracts system rewards players based on their performances over the past year. The contract system provides financial stability to players and serves as a motivation for them to perform well in international cricket.
The BCCI is one of the richest cricket boards in the world, and its central contracts are highly sought after by Indian players. The contracts provide players with a base salary and a range of additional benefits such as match fees, bonuses, and sponsorships.
The Indian cricket team has been performing well in recent years, and the BCCI’s contracts system is a reflection of this success. With a balanced mix of experienced players and rising stars, the Indian team is expected to continue its winning streak in the upcoming seasons.