Hardik Pandya, Suryakumar Yadav may be promoted to Grade A central contracts in 2022-23

World number one batter Suryakumar Yadav and team India’s star all-rounder Hardik Pandya Pandya, are likely to gain promotion to Grade A of 2022-23 Indian Cricket Board central contracts, as per the sources in the board of Indian Cricket.

In the Indian T20 League 2022, Pandya’s career took off when he led the Gujarat franchise to victory in their inaugural season by excelling with both the bat and the ball. Pandya continued to make an impression, especially in the T20Is after his successful Indian T20 League and return to India.

Suryakumar has been India’s star performer in the shortest format, to say the least. One of the prime reasons for India’s advancement to the semi-final stage of the 2018 20-20 World Cup was his 360-degree strokeplay at number four.

Ajinkya Rahane, Ishant Sharma, and Wriddhiman Saha are no longer on the central contracts list

On the other hand, the likes of Ajinkya Rahane, Ishant Sharma, and Wriddhiman Saha may no longer find themselves on the central contracts list If this does happen, it may be the end of Rahane and pacer Ishant’s international careers. Ishant last played for India against New Zealand in Kanpur in November 2021, while Rahane last played for India in the Cape Town Test against South Africa back in January earlier this year.

Saha last wore the India jersey during the Mumbai Test against the Black Caps, which took place 12 months ago. Saha’s exclusion, though, was essentially inevitable as head coach Rahul Dravid made it clear to the wicketkeeper-batter during the Test series in South Africa at the beginning of this year that he would no longer be a part of Team India’s plan.

Saha had been in Grade C for the 2021–2022 season, while Rahane and Ishant were in Grade B. Returning to Pandya and Suryakumar, it was highly anticipated that they would be promoted from Grade C due to their match-winning performances, especially this year.

After scoring 200 against Bangladesh in the third and final ODI, it won’t be shocking if wicketkeeper-batter Ishan Kishan also receives a central contract and is placed in Grade B. As for the upcoming revision to India’s T20I strategy, the board sources claim that only when the new election committee is created could a definitive decision, including one on the central contracts, be made.