BCCI contracts create disagreements over player retention

The BCCI is expected to release its central contracts for men's cricket soon. This comes after some senior players, like Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and Ravindra Jadeja, retired from T20 cricket, leading to potential changes in the A+ category. The women's contracts were already announced, with 16 players listed across three categories. The men's contracts previously included 30 players and are due to be published in the upcoming days. The A+ category offers a payment of Rs 7 crore, while players in the A category receive Rs 5 crore. Grades B and C pay Rs 3 crore and Rs 1 crore, respectively. The contracts are prepared by the national selection committee and are reviewed by the head coach, secretary, and the Apex Council. There are disagreements among stakeholders regarding the retention of all senior players in the A+ category. Currently, only Jasprit Bumrah remains an all-format player, as Kohli, Rohit, and Jadeja have now become two-format players. Ravichandran Ashwin will likely be missing from the A category due to his retirement from international cricket. Meanwhile, Axar Patel could be promoted from Group B to A, as he has been a consistent performer in ODIs and T20Is. Shreyas Iyer, who did not have a contract last season, is likely to return to the list after playing 11 ODIs this season. Players need to meet specific criteria in terms of games played to qualify for a contract. Young talents like Yashasvi Jaiswal may also see promotions in the new contract list. New players such as Akash Deep and Sarfaraz Khan are expected to be included in Group C after meeting the required appearances. Some players from last year's list, like Shardul Thakur and Ruturaj Gaikwad, may not qualify this time. However, the selection committee can make exceptions based on discussions with the head coach and secretary.