BCCI Central Contracts: Five Big Names Axed

Five players have been excluded from the latest contract list - some due to form, others due to lack of opportunities, and in one case, retirement.

The announcement brought tough news for a few familiar names.

Source : PTI

BCCI has finally ended the suspense surrounding its updated list of central contracts. While several seasoned players have earned promotions and a new batch of young talents has broken through, the announcement also brought tough news for a few familiar names.

Abhishek Sharma, Varun Chakravarthy, Harshit Rana, and Akash Deep are among those included in the central contract for the first time.

However, five players have been excluded from the contract list - some due to form, others due to lack of opportunities, and in one case, retirement.

5 Big Names Out of BCCI's New Central Contracts

1. Jitesh Sharma: Wicketkeeper-batter Jitesh Sharma finds himself out of the central contract. His last appearance for India came in January 2024 against Afghanistan, where he failed to make an impact. A lack of consistency and fierce competition in the wicketkeeping department appear to have worked against him.

2. Shardul Thakur: Having been out of India's plans for a while, Shardul wasn't included in the squad for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy against Australia or the Champions Trophy. His absence from recent key series seems to have cost him his central contract.

3. KS Bharat: Test wicketkeeper KS Bharat has also been dropped from the central contract. Bharat last played for India during the Test series against England in February 2024. A disappointing performance in that match, where he struggled in both innings, might have sealed his fate.

4. Avesh Khan: Pacer Avesh Khan has also been left out. Last seen in India colors in late 2024 against South Africa, Avesh failed to deliver noteworthy performances. His last ODI appearance came in 2023, and with others stepping up, he seems to have fallen down the order.

5. R Ashwin: Veteran spinner R Ashwin announced his retirement from international cricket during the recent Border-Gavaskar series in Australia. His exit was sudden, but it brings a glorious international career to a close.

Updated BCCI Central Contracts List

Grade A+: Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Jasprit Bumrah, Ravindra Jadeja

Grade A: Mohammed Siraj, KL Rahul, Shubman Gill, Hardik Pandya, Mohammed Shami, Rishabh Pant

Grade B: Suryakumar Yadav, Kuldeep Yadav, Axar Patel, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shreyas Iyer

Grade C: Rinku Singh, Tilak Verma, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Shivam Dube, Ravi Bishnoi, Washington Sundar, Mukesh Kumar, Sanju Samson, Arshdeep Singh, Prasidh Krishna, Rajat Patidar, Dhruv Jurel, Sarfaraz Khan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Ishan Kishan, Abhishek Sharma, Akash Deep, Varun Chakravarthy, Harshit Rana