5 Indian cricketers who deserved a promotion in BCCI's central contracts 2020-21

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) had announced the Annual Player Contracts for Team India (Senior Men) for the period from October 2020 to September 2021. This list includes various categories and India’s cricketers have been divided into four. As per a BCCI press release, the payment structures has been divided into four categories with Grade A+ contract earning players INR 7 crore, Grade A earning players INR 5 crore, Grade B earning players INR 3 crores, and Grade C players earning INR 1 crore for the above mentioned time period. Indian captain Virat Kohli and India’s limited-overs deputy vice-captain Rohit Sharma have been included in the A+ contract. The only cricketer other than them to receive an A+ contract is India’s lead pacer Jasprit Bumrah. Around 25 other cricketers have bagged the Grade A, Grade B, and Grade C contracts. There are a lot of talented cricketers who deserved promotion in the central contract. Their consistent performances across a long period of time should have secured them a better grade. In the article, let’s take a look at 5 Indian cricketers who deserved promotion in the central contract: 1) Ravindra Jadeja Ravindra Jadeja. (Photo Source: Twitter) It is safe to say that Ravindra Jadeja has been India’s best all-rounder for quite a while now. He has been one of India’s best performers with the bat as well as with the ball. The all-rounder from Gujrat has remained in category A – INR 5 crores. He was one of the few players to be a regular in all the 3 formats of the game for India as well. The entire cricket fraternity was shocked over Jadeja not getting a promotion. Former English captain Michael Vaughan was disappointed over Jadeja not being in the highest pay bracket. “Disgrace … he should be on the biggest behind Virat …” tweeted Vaughan. He wasn’t the only one who felt the same as former Indian selector MSK Prasad too said Jadeja is a genuine A+ candidate. “Jadeja is a genuine A+ candidate. Those who play all formats and have good ICC rankings are included in the list. I cannot see any reason why he was not considered for A + Grade,” was what Prasad said. 2) KL Rahul KL Rahul. (Photo Source: Speed Media/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) KL Rahul has been one of the most improved Indian players of late. Not only has he solved India’s middle-order crisis in ODIs but he has also been India’s second-best T20I batsman after Kohli since 2020. Not seeing Rahul get a promotion was shocking, to say the least. He has been an absolute run machine and has stood up and taken the responsibility of getting his team to a good score on numerous occasions. Rahul was included in category A – INR 5 crores. However, with the way Rahul has been playing of late, it won’t be surprising to see him get a promotion next time. His limited-overs performances forced the Indian selectors to include him in the Test team as well. He would be in line for a promotion if he does get a chance in the longest format of the game and continues his good form. 3) Bhuvneshwar Kumar Bhuvneshwar Kumar. (Photo by Surjeet Yadav/Getty Images) This has to be one of the most shocking decisions taken by the BCCI. Indian paceman Bhuvneshwar Kumar was astonishingly demoted from Grade A to Grade B contract in the Annual Player Contracts for Team India (Senior Men) for the period from October 2020 to September 2021. This managed to raise a lot of eyebrows. As a matter of fact, Bhuvneshwar even won the ICC Player Of The Month Award for his impressive performance against England in the recently concluded ODI and T20I series. The UP pacer was struggling with injuries over the last couple of years. He missed the second half of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020 and was then left out of the squad for Australia as well as the England Test matches. As he hasn’t been a regular feature in India’s Test side, Bhuvneshwar might have been demoted to Grade B for that very reason. However, Bhuvneshwar is back and is raring to go. He is all set to be a regular face in the Indian team once again and could very well make a case for a promotion. 4) Shreyas Iyer Shreyas Iyer. (Photo Source: Getty Images) Back in 2019, the Indian ODI team lacked a good number 4 batsmen. Shreyas Iyer had solved this number 4 crisis ever since he was given an opportunity. The right-hander finds himself with a Grade C contract. This seems harsh on Iyer, to say the least as he deserved a Grade B contract. He has not only sealed his spot in the ODI team but has also been a consistent feature in the T20I side. He was superb in the recently concluded T20I series against England as well. Iyer has been really unlucky as he recently injured himself during the first ODI against England and isn’t taking part in the ongoing IPL 2021. If Iyer does want a promotion, he would have to perform the way he is and consistently score runs for India. 5) Rishabh Pant Rishabh Pant’s fifty. (Photo by Surjeet Yadav/Getty Images) It is safe to say that Pant has been India’s new superhero. Ever since he played the second match of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2020-21, his fortunes have completely changed. He is now a regular for India in all three formats of the game. Following his heroics against Australia and England, Pant retained his position in Grade A of BCCI’s central contracts. Everyone else however expected BCCI to give him a promotion. It was shocking to see him not see him alongside the likes of Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, and Jasprit Bumrah. Even India’s former chief MSK Prasad felt the same. “I can see Pant in A+ soon. He is not regular now but it will be difficult to ignore him for the grade. Both Jadeja and Pant could be at the top bracket soon,” he said. With the way Pant has been playing, it is only a matter of time he gets an A+ contract.

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5 Indian cricketers who deserved a promotion in BCCI's central contracts 2020-21

Their consistent performances across a long period of time should have secured them a better grade.

4) Shreyas Iyer

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