Ravindra Jadeja, an all-format all-rounder from India, has been elevated to the Grade A+ category of BCCI central contracts, joining only Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and Jasprit Bumrah. The quartet will make 7 billion INR per year. Axar Patel, the left-arm spin twin of Jadeja, was promoted from Grade B to A.
Hardik Pandya, who rises from Grade C to Grade A, is another all-rounder to make a significant advancement. Hardik fell to C last year due to fitness difficulties, but he has been excellent since his return and was even given white-ball skipper in Rohit Sharma’s absence. Meanwhile, Suryakumar Yadav and Shubman Gill have advanced from Grade C to Grade B.
Additionally, India granted Arshdeep Singh and KS Bharat their initial contracts. (Grade C). Bharat made his Test debut at the recently-concluded Border-Gavaskar Trophy in place of the injured Rishabh Pant.
Wriddhiman Saha, Hanuma Vihari, and Mayank Agarwal, who have all been removed from the Test squad, were not included in the contract lists despite having previously been in Grade C. No central contract exists for either Bhuvneshwar Kumar or Deepak Chahar.
Cheteshwar Pujara has retained his Grade B contract, but Ajinkya Rahane has been dropped from the Test squad due to a loss of form. Ishant Sharma is in the same position as Rahane, having not played in a Test since November 2021.
The Grade C contract has been awarded to Kuldeep Yadav, who was not retained previously. Meanwhile, KL Rahul has fallen from A to B.
