Axar Patel in ‘C’ grade in BCCI’s new central contract list! Shubman Gill-Jadeja in ‘A’. Akash Chopra’s strong criticism, Hardik-Rahul did not remain in ‘A’. Know the whole controversy.
Amidst the heated atmosphere of the World Cup, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has released the list of central contracts for the 2025-26 season. But this list has created an uproar among players and fans. The new rules have removed the ‘A Plus’ category. The highest is the ‘A‘ grade. But who are in that top tier? Only three. Jasprit Bumrah, Test and ODI captain Shubman Gill and all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja. There has been a lot of speculation about the status of the rest.
The biggest center of controversy is the Indian team’s T20 vice-captain Axar Patel. This regular player in three formats, who is also a part of the Test team, has been kept in the ‘C’ grade. In the previous contract, he was in the ‘B’ grade. In other words, he has been demoted in the name of changing the grading system. The cricket world is really unable to understand this decision.
Former Indian batsman Aakash Chopra has directly said that ‘injustice‘ has been done to Axar Patel. He has raised tough questions on social media and his YouTube channel. His reasoning is clear. Axar Patel has made it to the team in all three formats. He is the second-choice captain of the T20 team. And yet he is given a ‘C’ grade? How is that reasonable?
Akash’s question is not just about Axar. He has raised questions about the entire system. According to him, if Shubman Gill and Ravindra Jadeja, who play only in two formats, can claim ‘A’ grade, then why not Hardik Pandya? Hardik is also the T20 captain and an important all-rounder. Or K.L. Rahul, who is a solid member of the Test and ODI teams.
The same question is about Kuldeep Yadav. He is present in all three formats. But he also did not get a place in ‘A’. Another example that would make Aakash Chopra’s head spin is Mohammad Siraj. He also plays an important role for India in all three formats. But he has been kept in the ‘B’ grade. It is not clear on what basis this discrimination was made.
BCCI has probably given importance on the basis of format. Test and ODI cricket may have been given priority. But even then the problem remains. Axar or Rahul’s place in the Test team is guaranteed. In that case, judging by the number of formats alone does not seem reasonable to many.
In Aakash Chopra’s words, what else does Axar Patel have to do? Starting from the responsibility of vice-captain to performance in all formats, everything is ahead. Still, this demotion is undoubtedly disappointing. It can also negatively affect the morale of the player.
This grading is not only a matter of prestige, but also has financial implications. Higher grade means higher retainer fee. So, going down to ‘C’ grade will also make a difference in terms of income. It is difficult to accept this position for a player who is a regular in the national team across formats.
BCCI may have considered future planning, age and long-term role in the team while taking such a decision. But due to lack of communication, this decision has given rise to controversy. A section of fans and analysts feel that multi-format assets like Hardik Pandya or Axar Patel have not been properly evaluated here.
The board may have taken this decision with future plans in mind. But their lack of communication has created a controversy. From fans to analysts, questions have arisen in everyone’s minds. Hardik Pandya, KL Rahul, Axar Patel – all of them are very valuable assets of Indian cricket. Is their assessment correct? Read more