With just over five months to go for the ICC Cricket World Cup in New Zealand and Australia, the Board of Cricket Control in India is reconfiguring its list of annual contracts, prioritising those who will be key members of India’s World Cup squad.
The cricket commentator and columnist Harsha Bhogle wrote in the Indian Express that the Indian team needs to take a strong bowling unit, as conditions in both Australia and New Zealand favour bowlers.
Last year, A Grade cricketers were paid Rs one crore a year, B Grade players got Rs 50 lakhs, while those in the C category commanded Rs 25 lakhs.
The shoo-ins
A BCCI official told Scroll that all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja, opening batsman Ajinkya Rahane and medium pacers Mohammad Shami and Bhuvaneshwar Kumar are certain to make the 30-member list of probables, injuries notwithstanding. Accordingly, their annual contracts with the BCCI will be upgraded from Grade C to Grade A for the 2014-'15 season.
“On the subcontinent, MS Dhoni could play up to seven batsmen,” said former Indian selector Yashpal Sharma. “That’s how he won the World Cup in 2011. But he’ll have to play four specialist fast bowlers and one spinner in Australia and New Zealand.”
Others who are certain to be in the squad are Indian skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni, Virat Kohli, Ravichandran Ashwin and Suresh Raina. Raina’s performances in the one-day internationals in England have cemented his place in the team.
The contenders
The probables include wicketkeeper-batsman Ambati Rayudu and paceman Mohit Sharma. Their annual contracts will be upgraded from Grade C to Grade B, the BCCI official said. Rayudu and Sharma will join Rohit Sharma, Shikhar Dhawan, Umesh Yadav, Murali Vijay and Ishant Sharma, who are all in Grade B.
“Ishant may not have performed outstandingly in recent times but he has had considerable success in the past in Australia, so he could turn out to be a useful asset,” Yashpal Sharma said. “Fast bowlers like Mohit Sharma, Shami and Bhuvaneshwar Kumar should also be able to exploit the Aussie turf.”
Despite a string of poor performances at the international level, opener Gautam Gambhir could still retain his Grade B contract and make it to the list of probables. Meanwhile, left-arm spinner Pragyan Ojha and all-rounder Yuvraj Singh may fall to Grade C as both of have failed to command a regular spot in the national team.
“Since, it will have to be a bowling heavy side, Dhoni will have to pick his batsmen carefully,” said Chetan Chauhan, a former Indian cricketer. “Other than Virat Kohli, the Indian team will need another specialist batsman who can steer the innings in case the top order collapses. Cheteshwar Pujara in the middle order and Stuart Binny in the latter part could be useful to the Indian batting line-up.”
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The cricket commentator and columnist Harsha Bhogle wrote in the Indian Express that the Indian team needs to take a strong bowling unit, as conditions in both Australia and New Zealand favour bowlers.
Last year, A Grade cricketers were paid Rs one crore a year, B Grade players got Rs 50 lakhs, while those in the C category commanded Rs 25 lakhs.
The shoo-ins
A BCCI official told Scroll that all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja, opening batsman Ajinkya Rahane and medium pacers Mohammad Shami and Bhuvaneshwar Kumar are certain to make the 30-member list of probables, injuries notwithstanding. Accordingly, their annual contracts with the BCCI will be upgraded from Grade C to Grade A for the 2014-'15 season.
“On the subcontinent, MS Dhoni could play up to seven batsmen,” said former Indian selector Yashpal Sharma. “That’s how he won the World Cup in 2011. But he’ll have to play four specialist fast bowlers and one spinner in Australia and New Zealand.”
Others who are certain to be in the squad are Indian skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni, Virat Kohli, Ravichandran Ashwin and Suresh Raina. Raina’s performances in the one-day internationals in England have cemented his place in the team.
The contenders
The probables include wicketkeeper-batsman Ambati Rayudu and paceman Mohit Sharma. Their annual contracts will be upgraded from Grade C to Grade B, the BCCI official said. Rayudu and Sharma will join Rohit Sharma, Shikhar Dhawan, Umesh Yadav, Murali Vijay and Ishant Sharma, who are all in Grade B.
“Ishant may not have performed outstandingly in recent times but he has had considerable success in the past in Australia, so he could turn out to be a useful asset,” Yashpal Sharma said. “Fast bowlers like Mohit Sharma, Shami and Bhuvaneshwar Kumar should also be able to exploit the Aussie turf.”
Despite a string of poor performances at the international level, opener Gautam Gambhir could still retain his Grade B contract and make it to the list of probables. Meanwhile, left-arm spinner Pragyan Ojha and all-rounder Yuvraj Singh may fall to Grade C as both of have failed to command a regular spot in the national team.
“Since, it will have to be a bowling heavy side, Dhoni will have to pick his batsmen carefully,” said Chetan Chauhan, a former Indian cricketer. “Other than Virat Kohli, the Indian team will need another specialist batsman who can steer the innings in case the top order collapses. Cheteshwar Pujara in the middle order and Stuart Binny in the latter part could be useful to the Indian batting line-up.”