The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) made an official announcement on Sunday regarding the Annual Player Contracts for the Indian cricket team’s senior men for the upcoming 2022-23 season. The contracts are crucial as they determine the salaries, retaining fees, and performance incentives of the players, depending on their experience, skill level, and form.
The contracts, which have been revised and updated, have brought some major changes in the status of the players. While some players have been promoted to higher grades, many of the team’s stalwarts have lost their positions and have been demoted to lower grades.
The BCCI, in its statement, revealed that the contracts have been divided into four categories, namely A+, A, B, and C. The A+ category is the most elite, followed by A, B, and C. The selection committee determines the category for each player based on their performance in the past few months.
Wicketkeeper Batter demoted
In the latest Annual Player Contracts announced by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) for the 2022-23 season, KL Rahul, who has been under fire for his inconsistent performances, was demoted from the A category to the B category. This demotion is a significant setback for the stylish opener, who was once considered one of India’s most reliable batsmen.
Rahul has had a string of low scores recently after which he was sacked from the position of the team’s vice-captain. Following that, he was also dropped from the team during the third test of the Border Gavaskar trophy. Things seem to be going downhill for KL Rahul.
Ravindra Jadeja Promoted
While Rahul has dropped a grade, Jadeja has been promoted one, going from grade A to A+. The 33-year-old all-rounder has been one of India’s most consistent performers across formats in recent years, and his exceptional form since his return to the game earlier this year has been nothing short of remarkable.
Jadeja joins the likes of Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and Jasprit Bumrah in the Grade A+ category, which is the most elite category in the BCCI’s contract list. The players in this category are the cream of the crop, who have consistently performed at the highest level in all formats of the game. All these players will get Rs. 7 crores as their annual salary.
Several Players Demoted and Dropped
The BCCI’s announcement of the annual player contracts for the 2022-23 season has also brought some demotions and exclusions from the contract list. Notably, Shikhar Dhawan, who has been out of the national team since the start of 2023, has been demoted to the Grade C category, reflecting the selectors’ assessment of his recent performances.
In addition to Dhawan’s demotion, veterans Ishant Sharma and Ajinkya Rahane, who were given Grade B contracts last season, have not been included in this year’s contract list. Several other players who were on Grade C contracts last season have also been removed from the list this year, including Wriddhiman Saha, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Hanuma Vihari, Mayank Agarwal, and Deepak Chahar. The exclusion of these players indicates that the selectors are looking to bring in fresh talent and build a squad that can perform consistently across all formats of the game.
Other Updates
Cheteshwar Pujara, K L Rahul, Shreyas Iyer, Mohd. Siraj, Suryakumar Yadav, and Shubhman Gill have been included in the Grade B category, where they will earn around Rs 3 crore per year. These players have shown consistent performances and have become an integral part of the team in recent years.
In the Grade D category, players like Umesh Yadav, Shikhar Dhawan, Shardul Thakur, Ishan Kishan, Deepak Hooda, Yuzvendra Chahal, Kuldeep Yadav, Washington Sundar, Sanju Samson, Arshdeep Singh, and KS Bharat will receive around Rs 1 crore per year. This category includes players who are still establishing themselves in the team or are still groomed by the team management.
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