The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) made public its 2023-24 central contracts annual announcement on February 28, 2024. The key decision came in excluding Shreyas Iyer and Ishan Kishan from the retainership contract list even though they were a part of India’s ODI World Cup team last year.
The first tier (Grade A+) of the retainers list consists of four major players: Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Jasprit Bumrah, and Ravindra Jadeja. A total of 30 cricketers have received central contracts for the season.
BCCI cited non-participation in domestic cricket as a primary reason for omitting Iyer and Kishan. The two players missed the current domestic season, even though they were directed by the board to play Ranji Trophy and other domestic competitions when they were not available for the national team.
BCCI Central Contracts 2023-24: Key Announcements
Shreyas Iyer & Ishan Kishan Dropped from BCCI Contracts
- Shreyas Iyer (earlier in Grade B) and Ishan Kishan (earlier in Grade C) weren’t in view for the 2023-24 contracts.
- The BCCI stressed domestic cricket, saying that players need to play first-class tournaments to be eligible for central contracts.
Top Players Retained in Grade A+
- Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Jasprit Bumrah, and Ravindra Jadeja have been kept in the A+ category.
- All these players are core players of the Indian team in all forms.
KL Rahul & Shubman Gill Earn Promotions
- KL Rahul and Shubman Gill have been upgraded to Grade A, indicating their increased prominence in Indian cricket.
- Hardik Pandya has been kept in Grade A, even though he is not available for Test cricket.
Yashasvi Jaiswal Makes Debut in Grade B
- Yashasvi Jaiswal, who was impressive during India’s last Test series triumph over England, has been straight away assigned a Grade B position.
- Players falling within the grade eligibility criteria of 3 Tests, 8 ODIs, or 10 T20Is over a designated timeframe will receive automatic Grade C contract entitlements.
BCCI Central Contracts 2023-24: Full List
Grade A+ (4 Players)
✔ Rohit Sharma
✔ Virat Kohli
✔ Jasprit Bumrah
✔ Ravindra Jadeja
Grade A (6 Players)
✔ Ravichandran Ashwin
✔ Mohammed Shami
✔ Mohammed Siraj
✔ KL Rahul
✔ Shubman Gill
✔ Hardik Pandya
Grade B (5 Players)
✔ Suryakumar Yadav
✔ Rishabh Pant
✔ Kuldeep Yadav
✔ Axar Patel
✔ Yashasvi Jaiswal
Grade C (15 Players)
✔ Rinku Singh
✔ Tilak Verma
✔ Ruturaj Gaikwad
✔ Shardul Thakur
✔ Shivam Dube
✔ Ravi Bishnoi
✔ Jitesh Sharma
✔ Washington Sundar
✔ Mukesh Kumar
✔ Sanju Samson
✔ Arshdeep Singh
✔ KS Bharat
✔ Prasidh Krishna
✔ Avesh Khan
✔ Rajat Patidar
Why Were Ishan Kishan & Shreyas Iyer Left Out?
Here in this part, we will discuss the reason behind Ishan Kishan and Shreyas Iyer’s BCCI dropping out.
Lack of Domestic Cricket Participation
- BCCI Secretary Jay Shah had directed all contracted players to make Ranji Trophy and domestic tournament appearances as priority when they are not playing for India.
- Both Iyer and Kishan did not heed this order, which resulted in their exclusion.
Ishan Kishan’s Absence from Competitive Cricket
- Ishan Kishan opted out of the South Africa Test series because of personal reasons.
- He has not participated in any competitive cricket since then, which has created doubts regarding his dedication.
- Rahul Dravid said that the management is in contact with Ishan but insisted that he needs to get back to competitive cricket before being selected.
Shreyas Iyer’s Performance & Injury Issues
- Shreyas Iyer was omitted for the last three Tests against England, citing a back injury officially.
- But reports had been floating around that the team management was irked by his refusal to play domestic cricket.
- Iyer has now been included in Mumbai’s Ranji Trophy squad, hinting at an attempt to regain favor.
Impact of BCCI’s Decision
Here we have mentioned the impact of BCCI’s Decision. Read the information for more details.
Sends a Strong Message
- The decision reinforces BCCI’s emphasis on domestic cricket.
- Players must regularly participate in domestic tournaments to remain in contention for national selection.
Opportunity for Emerging Players
- With Shreyas Iyer and Ishan Kishan out of the contracts list, emerging talents like Yashasvi Jaiswal and Rinku Singh have been given opportunities.
- This move also ensures that players who commit to all formats are rewarded accordingly.
Increased Competition for Selection
- With the promotions of KL Rahul and Shubman Gill, and Yashasvi Jaiswal being added, competition for spots in the Indian team is more fierce.
Conclusion
The BCCI announcement of central contracts for 2023-24 has brought in significant changes, with Shreyas Iyer and Ishan Kishan being left out for not playing domestic cricket.
On the other hand, top players like Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Jasprit Bumrah, and Ravindra Jadeja remain in the A+ category, while KL Rahul and Shubman Gill earned well-deserved promotions.
With a clear focus on domestic cricket and team commitment, this contract update reflects BCCI’s long-term vision for Indian cricket. Players must prove their consistency across formats to secure their place in the national squad.
