On April 15th, 2021, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced the annual player contracts for the men’s team. The contract is for the period October 2021 to September 2021. In this article, we discuss five cricketers who could move to the next grade in BCCI 2022 contract.
The yearly contract by BCCI is a sign for a player that he is in the plans of the Indian Team. The grade structure determines how important a player is in the scheme of things. With new players coming through, we could expect a few changes in the BCCI 2022 contract. Here are five players who could get a promotion next year.
1. Rishabh Pant to A+
The wicket-keeper spot is one place that needs grooming. Especially for someone to fill the large hole left by MS Dhoni, it would take time. This time last year, Rishabh Pant was in a tricky situation in his career. However, right now, he is at the peak of his form.
Just like Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma and Jasprit Bumrah, Pant would become a permanent feature in all three formats. Hence, he would deservedly get the A+ contract, which would give him INR 7 crore every year. Also, it would not be a surprise if he is groomed for captaincy in the next year.
2. Bhuvneshwar Kumar to A
Bhuvneshwar Kumar finds himself in Grade B in the current list of contracts. However, being a senior cricketer, he should be getting a higher paycheque by BCCI.
While the reason for this could be his frequent injuries, at the moment, Bhuvi is fit and in good form, too. He will have a crucial role to play at the upcoming T20 World Cup. If he somehow finds his way back to the Test squad, there is definitely a promotion in store for him.
3. Washington Sundar to B
Until now, Washington Sundar was seen as a T20 specialist. However, it seems this has changed ever since the Tamil Nadu cricketer made his Test debut at the Gabba recently.
While he will go on to feature in the T20 squad, Washi could be groomed to become Ravichandran Ashwin’s successor in the red-ball format. Hence, for the upcoming Test tournaments, Washi is likely to be in the squad. Therefore, he could move to the next grade in BCCI 2022 contract.
4. Shubman Gill to B
Shubman Gill features in Grade C in the latest contract. Having cemented his place in the Test squad, the Punjab player is expected to take heavy strides in the 50-over format as well.
BCCI is very clear that Test cricket would be given the highest priority amongst all the formats. With Gill going to become a permanent name in the playing XI, he is likely to get a promotion next season. Hence, the KKR opener could earn a Grade B contract next year.
5. T Natarajan to C
T Natarajan missed out on the annual contract this time around because he did not fulfil the required criteria. However, he could still be paid on a pro-rata basis if he achieves the criteria within September 2021. Nevertheless, he is certain to feature in the BCCI 2022 contract.
As of the latest contracts, falling in Grade C ensures a yearly compensation of INR 1 crore to a cricketer. This grade is the starting level for each cricketer. At least in the T20I’s and the ODIs, Nattu is likely to be in the scheme of things. Hence, he is pretty sure to be awarded a contract.
