Explained: What's new in BCCI central contracts for 2023-24 season

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced several changes to the annual player contracts for the 2023-24 which was confirmed on Wednesday. The biggest development of the player contracts were Shreyas Iyer and Ishan Kishan’s omission after failing to commit to their respective teams in the ongoing Ranji Trophy, in order to be fit for Team India selection.

Young batter Yashasvi Jaiswal has been the biggest gainer in the list after finding himself in Grade B. Jaiswal is in rich vein of form having scored over 600 runs in the ongoing Test series against England. Shubman Gill, meanwhile, has been promoted to Grade A after recently rediscovering his lost touch. Gill scored a century in the Vizag Test against England, and scored 91 in Rajkot. In the fourth Test in Ranchi, Gill played a pivotal role with an unbraten 52 to guide India to series win over England with a game to spare.

So what’s new in the 2023-24 BCCI central contracts? We take a look:

Grade C is a possibility for non-contracted players

In this criteria, cricketers are required to play minimum of three Tests or eight ODIs or 10 T20Is within the specified period in order to automatically be included in Grade C on a pro-rata basis for non-contracted players. For example, both Dhruv Jurel and Sarfaraz Khan have played two Tests so far, and will be included in Grade C should they play the fifth Test against England in Dharamsala next week.

Fast bowling contracts

The BCCI has introduced a contract exclusively for fast bowlers. Five pacers — Akash Deep, Vijaykumar Vyshakh, Umran Malik, Yash Dayal and Vidwath Kaverappa have been recommended fast bowling contracts by the Selection Committee.

Precedence to playing domestic cricket

Domestic cricket is of paramount importance and the BCCI reiterated the fact that players must partake in domestic cricket tournaments when not playing for the national team. The likes of Shreyas Iyer and Ishan Kishan have recently skipped Ranji Trophy matches for their teams despite being fit to play. “The BCCI has recommended that all athletes give precedence to participating in domestic cricket during periods when they are not representing the national team,” the board said in a statement.

BCCI player contracts list for 2023-24

Grade A+

In 2022-23: Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Jasprit Bumrah, and Ravindra Jadeja

In 2023-24: Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Jasprit Bumrah and Ravindra Jadeja

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NO CHANGE

Grade A

In 2022-23: Hardik Pandya, R Ashwin, Mohammed Shami, Rishabh Pant, and Axar Patel

In 2023-24: R Ashwin, Mohd. Shami, Mohd. Siraj, KL Rahul, Shubman Gill and Hardik Pandya

CHANGES: Pant downgraded (dropped to Grade B), Siraj upgraded (from Grade B), Shubman Gill upgraded (from Grade B), Axar Patel downgraded (dropped to Grade B), KL Rahul upgraded (from Grade B)

GRADE B

In 2022-23: Cheteshwar Pujara, KL Rahul, Shreyas Iyer, Mohammed Siraj, Suryakumar Yadav, and Shubhman Gill

In 2023-24: Surya Kumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant, Kuldeep Yadav, Axar Patel and Yashasvi Jaiswal

CHANGES: No Pujara at all, KL Rahul upgraded (to Grade A), Iyer (gone), Siraj upgraded (to Grade A), Gill (upgraded to Grade A)

GRADE C

In 2022-23: Umesh Yadav, Shikhar Dhawan, Shardul Thakur, Ishan Kishan, Deepak Hooda, Yuzvendra Chahal, Kuldeep Yadav, Washington Sundar, Sanju Samson, Arshdeep Singh, KS Bharat

In 2023-24: Rinku Singh, Tilak Verma, Ruturaj Gaekwad, Shardul Thakur, Shivam Dube, Ravi Bishnoi, Jitesh Sharma, Washington Sundar, Mukesh Kumar, Sanju Samson, Arshdeep Singh, KS Bharat, Prasidh Krishna, Avesh Khan and Rajat Patidar.

CHANGES: Umesh gone, Dhawan gone, Kishan gone, Hooda gone, Chahal gone, Kuldeep (upgraded to Grade B), new entrants - Rinku Singh, Tilak Verma, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Shivam Dube, Ravi Bishnoi, Jitesh Sharma, Mukesh Kumar, Prasidh Krishna, Avesh Khan and Rajat Patidar