The BCCI have announced the Indian men’s central contracts for the 2023-2024 season. Here are the biggest winners and losers from the annual retainership.
A total of 30 players have signed annual contracts from BCCI, compared to 26 last year. A new fast bowling contract was also introduced, benefiting five quick bowlers.
The list of players who will be signing BCCI Central contracts this year can be found here
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The winners
Rajat Patidar
BCCI has confirmed the criteria for Class C contracts. Athletes who have played at least 3 Testsor8 ODIs,or10 T20Is will be automatically elevated to the class. C is also included proportionately. This is very beneficial for his Patidar, who has played just his three Tests so far. After making his debut against England in Visakhapatnam, Patidar has failed to impress in the series so far. He had six innings, including two ducks, four single-digit scores and a high score of 32.
Shivam Dube
Dubé was handed a Grade C contract last year after playing seven T20Is, including against Ireland (two matches), Nepal, Bangladesh and Afghanistan (four matches). Dube was selected to represent India for the first time in three years, playing for the second team on the tour of Ireland and then the Asian Games in China. He had a brilliant two seasons in his IPL, scoring his 707 runs at a strike rate of 157.46, and in his home series against Afghanistan this year he was selected as a replacement for the injured Hardik. I did.
Mukesh Kumar
It is hard to imagine that Mukesh would have been able to play so many matches if India had always had a first-choice seam bowling attack at their disposal. Mukesh made his India debut on the tour to West Indies last year and has since played three Tests, six ODIs and 14 T20Is, but made little impact. He averages 43.40 in 50-over cricket and 34.33 in T20Is, earning 9.39 runs per over. In tests, Mukesh has his seven scalps, but he looked dull at times.
The fast bowlers – Akash Deep, Vijaykumar Vyshak, Umran Malik, Yash Dayal, Vidwath Kaverappa
BCCI has introduced fast bowling contracts for five pacers – Akash Deep, Vijaykumar Vyshak, Umran Malik, Yash Dayal and Vidwath Kaverappa. Akash recently made his Test debut for India in Ranchi and picked up three wickets in the first hour of play, while Umran, who grabbed the headlines with his high pace, has not played for India for seven months. Dayal gained notoriety as a bowler when Rinku Singh hit his fifth consecutive six in his IPL in 2023, but like Kavellappa and Vishak, he is yet to make his debut for India.
Kavellappa plays for Karnataka and after 18 matches, his average in List A is 15.81 which drops to 12 in T20s. He also averages 20.08 in first-class cricket. Vishak, who also plays for Karnataka, has an elite bowling average of 23.50 in 20 matches and a T20 average of 19.34. In List A, he has scored 34 from 21 wickets and his average is 29.38.
The losers
Several India discards – Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane, Shikhar Dhawan, Yuzvendra Chahal, Umesh Yadav
The Indian team is in a transition period and the BCCI’s central contract makes this clear. Pujara and Rahane, who have been regulars in Tests for India since their debuts in 2010 and 2013 respectively, have already played their last match for India and have a place among the 30 players given contracts. It is possible that you have not found it. Rahane was not signed last year but was still called up for the World Test Championship final. However, Ranji’s poor trophy run seems to have closed his path.
Pujara was in Class B last year but did not sign a contract this time and Shubman Gill took his place at number three.
Dhawan, Umesh and Chahal have signed Grade C contracts for 2022-2023. However, the trio has not played for India recently or participated in any competitions and is therefore not signed.
Ishan Kishan
A lot has happened around Ishan Kishan over the past few months. Kishan, a double ODI centurion, returned home ahead of the South Africa Test series due to mental fatigue. Various reports have suggested a showdown in the dressing room, with Kishan seemingly unhappy at being on the bench for so long. He also seems to have angered the BCCI by missing the Ranji Trophy even though his team Jharkhand was struggling while he continued training with Hardik for the IPL. Head coach Rahul Dravid remained silent on the Kishan controversy, saying only that the left-hander needs to play domestic cricket to compete for India again.
Read: The story of Shreyas Iyer and Ishan Kishan
Shreyas Iyer
Biggest mistake. Iyer, who played a key role in helping India reach the World Cup finals last year, is reportedly unsigned after refusing to play in the Ranji Trophy quarter-finals. Iyer, who played in the first two Test matches against England, was subsequently dropped from the squad, allowing him to feature for Mumbai. Initial reports said Iyer suffered back spasms and missed the quarter-finals, but according to The Indian Express, the NCA has clarified that Iyer is healthy. Iyer was ignored in the central contract as the BCCI took strong action against players absent from domestic cricket.
What makes his absence a bigger talking point is the fact that Iyer scored 48 runs against Andhra in a Ranji Trophy match in Mumbai in January this year.
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