𝐂𝐲𝐜𝐥𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐁𝐢𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐣𝐨𝐲'𝐬 𝐃𝐞𝐯𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐈𝐦𝐩𝐚𝐜𝐭: 𝟖𝟎𝟎 𝐔𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐓𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐬, 𝟓𝟎𝟎 𝐇𝐨𝐮𝐬𝐞𝐬 𝐃𝐚𝐦𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐝, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝟐𝟑 𝐈𝐧𝐣𝐮𝐫𝐞𝐝

In a recent announcement, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) unveiled its annual player retainership list for the 2023-24 season, marking notable promotions, exclusions, and historic additions.

Out-of-favour duo Ishan Kishan and Shreyas Iyer found themselves excluded from the retainership list, as the BCCI stated that they were not considered for annual contracts due to their absence from Ranji Trophy matches for their respective domestic sides. This decision follows their exclusion from the 2022-23 central contracts, where Iyer was in Grade B and Kishan in Grade C, earning Rs 3 crore and Rs 1 crore respectively annually.

Aside from facing monetary losses, Kishan and Iyer will also lose access to the National Cricket Academy (NCA) facilities and BCCI's insurance cover.

However, amidst the discussions surrounding the contract terminations, several players enjoyed promotions in the central contracts list. Batters KL Rahul and Shubman Gill, along with pacer Mohammed Siraj, have been notably promoted from Grade B to Grade A, increasing their annual earnings from Rs 3 crore to Rs 5 crore. Spinner Kuldeep Yadav has also moved up from Grade C to Grade B, now earning Rs 3 crore compared to Rs 1 crore previously.

Furthermore, the BCCI introduced 11 fresh faces to the central contracts list, with Yashasvi Jaiswal being the standout inclusion, having made his debut across formats last year. Other additions include Rinku Singh, Tilak Varma, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Shivam Dube, Ravi Bishnoi, Jitesh Sharma, Mukesh Kumar, Prasidh Krishna, Avesh Khan, and Rajat Patidar, all placed in Grade C and set to earn Rs 1 crore each.

In a historic move, the BCCI also introduced fast bowling contracts, recommending five players for this category. Akash Deep, who recently debuted in the Test series against England, leads the list, accompanied by Vijaykumar Vyshak (Karnataka), Umran Malik (Jammu and Kashmir), Yash Dayal (Uttar Pradesh), and Vidwath Kaverappa (Karnataka). Umran Malik brings past white-ball cricket experience to the table, while the others are uncapped.

Meanwhile, stalwarts of Indian cricket, including captain Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Ravindra Jadeja, and Jasprit Bumrah, have been retained in the Grade A+ bracket, securing an annual fee of Rs 7 crore each.

This comprehensive reshuffle reflects the BCCI's commitment to recognizing talent, rewarding performance, and ensuring a competitive landscape within Indian cricket.