The central contracts for the Indian cricket team are expected to be announced soon, with no major surprises anticipated in the list. However, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) may consider making concessions for a few players who might not meet the usual eligibility criteria for central retainership.
Among the top contenders is left-handed batter Abhishek Sharma, widely regarded as one of the finest emerging talents in world cricket. The Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) player is expected to be given Grade C category, which offers an annual retainership of INR 1 crore.
The BCCI policy states that “Athletes who meet the criteria of playing a minimum of three Tests or eight ODIs or 10 T20Is within the specified period will automatically be included in Grade C on a pro-rata basis.”
Abhishek Sharma has featured in 17 T20Is, with 12 of them falling within the eligibility window, generally considered from October to September. Meanwhile, Another player in contention is Andhra all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy, who has played five Tests in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) series and four T20Is. He has fulfilled the required number of Test appearances, and is likely to make it to the contracts list.
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The right-arm pacer Harshit Rana is also being considered. Though he has played only two Tests, five ODIs, and one T20I, which do not individually meet the criteria, his cumulative international appearances may make him eligible him for inclusion under a special provision.
Varun Chakravarthy (four ODIs and 18 T20Is) and Shreyas Iyer are in excellent form and were among the standout performers in the Champions Trophy. Senior players like Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Jasprit Bumrah, and Ravindra Jadeja are set to continue in the Grade A+ category, with minimal changes expected in the gradings.
The announcement of the contracts is likely within the next couple of days and may also include updates on the Indian team’s support staff. The decisions have reportedly been finalized in recent meetings.
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