NEW DELHI: The BCCI has made some changes to central contracts this season. Players like Shreyas Iyer and Ishan Kishan didn't make the cut, but KL Rahul and Shubman Gill moved up to Grade A. Dhruv Jurel and Sarfaraz Khan may reach Grade C if they play the next 5th Test against England.
The BCCI recently announced new contracts for the senior cricket team. The news came out on Wednesday. It brought surprises and upsets. Some key players went up and down in contract grades.
Shreyas Iyer and Ishan Kishan used to be crucial to the team but are now left out. Their performance has been poor lately. The BCCI said that domestic cricket is important and players should play in local tournaments when they're not in the national team.
However, KL Rahul and Shubman Gill got Grade A contracts. They've done very well in 2023, showing they're steady and effective in international cricket.
Dhruv Jurel and Sarfaraz Khan could have got central contracts but didn't. They hadn't played enough Test matches. But the BCCI stated they can still get Grade C if they play the upcoming 5th Test match against England in Dharamsala.
Dhruv Jurel and Sarfaraz Khan, after playing 2 Tests, might join Grade C. That's if they play in the Dharamsala Test Match, the 5th one against England," says the BCCI update.
In other news, Mohammed Siraj moved up from Grade B to A for his great performance. Kuldeep Yadav, who's been playing impressive cricket, jumped to Grade B. And let's not forget Yashasvi Jaiswal who got his first central contract with a Grade B tag.
On the downside, five players didn't make the cut. Cheteshwar Pujara, Yuzvendra Chahal, Umesh Yadav, Deepak Hooda, and Shikhar Dhawan are on this list. The top performers who sealed a spot in Grade A+ list are Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Jasprit Bumrah, and Ravindra Jadeja.
The BCCI's new contracts show changes in player rankings based on performance. As the Dharamsala Test nears, everyone's wondering if Jurel and Khan will be included. It adds a dash of thrill to the changing scene of Indian cricket contracts.
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