BCCI issues annual central contracts: Shreyas Iyer, Ishan Kishan return; Pant promoted to Grade A

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on Monday released its annual central contracts list, with the notable return of Shreyas Iyer and Ishan Kishan making headlines. Both players were excluded earlier in 2024 for skipping Ranji Trophy duties but have now been included in Grade B and C respectively.

While Ishan hasn’t featured in any international matches since his removal, Iyer has had a remarkable turnaround. The middle-order batter cemented his place in the ODI setup, playing a pivotal role in India’s Champions Trophy victory, which likely influenced his reinstatement in the BCCI contracts.

Among other significant updates, Rishabh Pant has been promoted from Grade B to Grade A following Ravichandran Ashwin’s retirement. Pant joins KL Rahul, Mohammed Shami, Mohammed Siraj, Shubman Gill and Hardik Pandya in the Rs 5 crore Grade A bracket.

The elite Grade A+ category, with a retainership of Rs 7 crore, remains unchanged with Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Jasprit Bumrah and Ravindra Jadeja holding their spots.

Despite being India’s T20I captain, Suryakumar Yadav continues in Grade B (Rs 3 crore) as a single-format player. Surprisingly, Kuldeep Yadav and Axar Patel, both part of India’s squads across formats, remain in Grade B alongside Yashasvi Jaiswal and Shreyas Iyer.

Grade C has expanded to include 19 players this cycle, up from 16 previously. It includes returning Ishan Kishan and newcomers such as Harshit Rana, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Akash Deep, Ruturaj Gaikwad and Varun Chakaravarthy. These players will earn Rs 1 crore annually.

Interestingly, the BCCI has opted not to issue fast-bowling contracts this time, breaking from last season’s practice of recognising standout domestic performers.