Rishabh Pant Bags Huge Pay Rise In BCCI's Central Contract
Rishabh Pant has received a huge salary hike. In the previous cycle (2023–24), he was in Grade B, which offered Rs 3 crore.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has announced its central contracts for the 2024-25 season, featuring 34 players. Among the notable returns are Ishan Kishan and Shreyas Iyer, who were left out last year.
The biggest individual gain has gone to wicket-keeper batter Rishabh Pant, who has been promoted to a higher grade this time around.
Big boost for Pant
Rishabh Pant has received a huge salary hike. In the previous cycle (2023–24), he was in Grade B, which offered Rs 3 crore. For 2024–25, he's been moved up to Grade A, entitling him to Rs 5 crore annually - an increase of Rs 2 crore.
Other players in the Grade A category include Shubman Gill, KL Rahul, Mohammed Siraj, Mohammed Shami and Hardik Pandya.
A key player across formats
Known for his fearless approach and big-hitting ability, Rishabh Pant has become one of India's most valuable wicketkeeper-batters. He has often delivered under pressure and is especially effective on overseas pitches. In Test cricket, he has scored 2,948 runs in 43 matches.
Rishabh Pant has hit seven centuries in international cricket so far. His ODI tally stands at 871 runs, while he has scored 1,209 runs in 76 T20 Internationals. He has also been an integral part of India's title-winning campaigns in the 2024 T20 World Cup and the 2025 Champions Trophy.
Pant's struggles in IPL 2025
Rishabh Pant's struggles with the bat continued even as Lucknow returned to winning ways on Saturday with a win over Rajasthan in Jaipur.
The LSG skipper was dismissed for just 3 runs off 9 deliveries, extending his lean patch in the ongoing IPL 2025 season.
Despite being the most expensive player in IPL history - bought for a record Rs 27 crore - Pant has failed to live up to expectations. In eight matches so far, he has scored only 106 runs at a dismal average of 15.14. His inconsistent form has become a cause for concern.
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