The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) revealed the central contracts for senior men's team cricketers for the 2023-24 season on Wednesday (February 28). Notably, the exclusion of Shreyas Iyer and Ishan Kishan from the annual contracts list has garnered attention, with reports suggesting that their absence may be linked to their non-compliance with the board's directive to participate in the Ranji Trophy.
The BCCI's official statement addressed this omission, stating, "Please note that Shreyas Iyer and Ishan Kishan were not considered for the annual contracts in this round of recommendations."
The top-tier Grade A+ category features prominent names such as Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Jasprit Bumrah, and Ravindra Jadeja. KL Rahul, Shubman Gill, and Mohammed Siraj have been promoted to the Grade A category, recognizing their noteworthy contributions in recent times. This category also includes R Ashwin, Mohammad Shami, and Hardik Pandya.
Grade B comprises key players like Rishabh Pant, currently recovering from injuries sustained in a car accident in December 2022, along with Suryakumar Yadav, Kuldeep Yadav, and Akshar Patel. Yashasvi Jaiswal, the left-handed opener making waves in the ongoing Test series against England, is also part of Grade B.
Notable additions to the central contracts list in the Grade C category include Rinku Singh and Tilak Varma. This category encompasses 15 cricketers, and the contracts will be valid from October 1, 2023, to September 30, 2024.
Reacting to the annual contracts list, former India cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar tweeted: “Well done to @BCCI for rewarding players who want to play the tough cricket and only for one reason…to face the ‘acid test’ as cricketers.” On the other hand, ex-India all-rounder Irfan Pathan expressed his surprise through a cryptic post, writing, "Unbelievable," hinting at some unexpected decisions by the board.
