The Board of Control for Cricket is all set to give out the annual central contracts and there are big changes expected this time. While the BCCI has just announced the women’s central contract list of 16 players in three grades, the men’s contracts that include 30 players last year are likely to be announced shortly.
How Players Qualify For Central Contracts?
To be eligible for a BCCI central contract, a player must have played in at least:
Three Test matches OR
Eight ODIs OR
Ten T20Is per calendar year.
This performance indicator makes sure that active players only, who significantly contribute across all formats, get featured.
Players Missing Out
Not every player from the previous year’s contract list is automatically in this time. Shardul Thakur and Ruturaj Gaikwad, who were included in the earlier contracts, have not played sufficient matches to qualify under the required criteria.
The ultimate decision, however, rests with the BCCI selection committee, head coach, and secretary, who can make exceptions based on future strategies and team needs.
Surprise Inclusions And Promotions
Axar Patel is likely to get promoted from Grade B to Grade A. He has played regularly in both ODIs and T20Is and played 14 Tests as well, and his case to upgrade is strong. Shreyas Iyer is another player who is set to receive a central contract after he missed out last year. He has played 11 ODIs this season, meeting the performance criteria laid out by the board for central contract eligibility.
Four Players who are likely to receive their first-time contracts: Yashasvi Jaiswal, Akashdeep, Sarfaraz Khan, Nitish Kumar Reddy.
(With PTI Inputs)
