Pujara, Rahane get demoted along with other Indian players by the BCCI

Several Indian team cricket players have been given their upgraded contracts according to their availability and several other factors by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). Former Test cricket vice-captain Ajinkya Rahane and veteran cricketer Chesteshwar Pujara were downgraded in the latest central contracts list of the BCCI that was ratified by the Board’s Apex Council on Wednesday.

The BCCI has four categories by which the players have been categorized for their paychecks — A+ which has annual remuneration of Rs 7 crore while A, B, and C categories are valued at Rs 5 crore, Rs 3 crore, and Rs 1 crore respectively.

Pujara and Rahane, who were earlier given the A Grade are now in Grade B, after a dip in their forms that saw them being dropped from the squad of the upcoming Test series against Sri Lanka.

The biggest downgrade that was seen in the contract renewals, was for injury-stricken all-rounder Hardik Pandya, who has been put down from Grade A to C in the list.

The player who has been in between a lot of controversies was also mentioned in these contract talks as the wicketkeeper-batsman Wriddhiman Saha, who has been dropped from the Test team, will still be richer by Rs 1 crore after being demoted from group B to C.