BCCI annual contracts 2022-23: Ravindra Jadeja promoted to A+ category, KL Rahul demoted to Grade B
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on Sunday, March 26, announced the annual player contracts for India’s senior men’s team for the 2022-23 season.
Experienced all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja has been rewarded for some fantastic performances by being promoted to A+ category. KL Rahul, who has struggled for runs over the last few months, has been demoted to Grade B.
The BCCI revealed the new contracts for Team India players through an official release on its website on Sunday. Apart from Jadeja, Indian captain Rohit Sharma and star batter Virat Kohli also remain in A+ category. Lead pacer Jasprit Bumrah, who hasn’t played a match for India since September last year, has also been retained in A+ category.
Hardik Pandya, Ravichandran Ashwin, Mohammed Shami, Rishabh Pant and Axar Patel are part of the Grade A category, while Cheteshwar Pujara, Shreyas Iyer, Mohammed Siraj, Suryakumar Yadav, Shubhman Gill and Rahul have been included in Grade B.
The Grade C category features Umesh Yadav, Shikhar Dhawan, Shardul Thakur, Ishan Kishan, Deepak Hooda, Yuzvendra Chahal, Kuldeep Yadav, Washington Sundar, Sanju Samson, Arshdeep Singh, and KS Bharat.
There is no place for veteran pacer Ishant Sharma and former Test vice-captain Ajinkya Rahane in BCCI's new annual contracts. Both were given Grade B contracts last season.
Wriddhiman Saha, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Hanuma Vihari, Mayank Agarwal, and Deepak Chahar, who got Grade C contracts last season, have also been ignored.
Grade A+: Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Jasprit Bumrah, Ravindra Jadeja
Grade A: Hardik Pandya, Ravichandran Ashwin, Mohammad Shami, Rishabh Pant, Axar Patel
Grade B: Cheteshwar Pujara, KL Rahul, Shreyas Iyer, Mohammed Siraj, Suryakumar Yadav, Shubman Gill
Grade C: Umesh Yadav, Shikhar Dhawan, Shardul Thakur, Ishan Kishan, Deepak Hooda, Yuzvendra Chahal, Kuldeep Yadav, Sanju Samson, Washington Sundar, Arshdeep Singh, KS Bharat
How much will Team India players earn as per BCCI contracts?
Indian cricketers who have been included in the Grade A category will be paid ₹7 crore.
Grade A players will earn ₹5 crore, Grade B players ₹3 crore, and Grade C cricketers ₹1 crore.