The new central contract for Team India players is about to be announced, which will determine their agreement with the BCCI for the next year. Major changes are expected in the contract, with five players almost certain to be dropped. Despite winning the Champions Trophy, Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli are likely to face demotion in the new contract. Currently, BCCI’s central contract features four players in the Grade A+ category: Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Jasprit Bumrah, and Ravindra Jadeja.
Rohit-Virat-Jadeja Set for Demotion!
Grade A+ is reserved for players who are key figures in all three formats of the game. Players in this category receive an annual salary of ₹7 crore from the BCCI. However, since Rohit, Virat, and Jadeja have each stepped away from at least one format, they are expected to be removed from Grade A+. The big question now is whether they will be placed in Grade A or Grade B, which will be decided by the BCCI.
Ashwin and Four Others to Be Dropped from the Contract
The current Grade A category features six players: Ravichandran Ashwin, Mohammed Siraj, Mohammed Shami, KL Rahul, Shubman Gill, and Hardik Pandya. These players earn ₹5 crore per year from the BCCI. However, with Ashwin having retired, he is set to be removed from the new contract. Additionally, Siraj could face demotion from Grade A to Grade B.
Similarly, in the current contract, Grade B includes five players, and Grade C has 15 players. From these two categories, four players from Grade C are likely to be dropped: KS Bharat, Avesh Khan, Rajat Patidar, and Jitesh Sharma. Players in Grade B earn ₹3 crore annually, while Grade C players receive ₹1 crore.
Who Will Gain the Most in the New Central Contract?
Now, the key question is which players will benefit the most in the new contract? Among them, Shubman Gill, Yashasvi Jaiswal, and Axar Patel are expected to get promotions.
- Gill could be promoted from Grade A to Grade A+, securing a significant financial boost.
- Yashasvi Jaiswal and Axar Patel are likely to be promoted from Grade B to Grade A.
Another major highlight could be the return of Shreyas Iyer. He was excluded from the previous central contract due to disciplinary reasons, but his strong performances may force the BCCI to reconsider. Additionally, Harshit Rana and Varun Chakravarthy are also in contention for a spot in the new contract.
