Rishabh Pant’s salary reaches INR 5 crore: The Indian wicket-keeper batsman saw a massive rise in his annual salary.
India wicket-keeper batsman Rishabh Pant has emerged out as the biggest beneficiary in the recently made changes to the BCCI’s (Board of Control for Cricket in India) Annual Contract List.
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Been included in the list of contracted players for the first time ever, Pant has leapfrogged his contemporaries as he has reached the second-best category. Included in Grade A, the 21-year old cricketer will receive INR 5 crore every year as his annual salary.
Having made his T20I debut in 2017, Pant went on to make his Test debut during India’s tour of England last year. The southpaw scored a century each in England and Australia, becoming only the second visiting wicket-keeper ever to do so. Having also created an impact with his wicket-keeping, Pant was named the ‘Emerging Player of the Year’ during the ICC awards earlier this year.
Currently in the race of making it to the Indian squad for the ICC Cricket World Cup 2019, fans can now expect Pant to represent India across formats after a significant inclusion in the Contract List.
The Indian selectors have reduced the number of players from the opulent Grade A+ category. While there were five players in this category last year, they have been reduced to three. India captain Virat Kohli, limited-overs vice-captain Rohit Sharma and fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah have been named in Grade A+.
Shikhar Dhawan and Bhuvneshwar Kumar demoted
Opening batsman Shikhar Dhawan and pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar have been demoted from Grade A+ to Grade A. In six Tests last year, Dhawan had scored 301 runs at an average of 27.36 and a strike rate of 71.49. On the other hand, Bhuvneshwar played only a couple of Test matches last year and missed a lot of cricket due to injury.
Wicket-keeper batsman Wriddhiman Saha, who played a solitary Test last year, didn’t play much cricket due to injury. The 34-year old cricketer has also been demoted from Grade A to Grade C.
Seasoned Indian cricketers such as Suresh Raina, Murali Vijay and Parthiv Patel have all been excluded from the list of contracted players. Among the others who have faced the axe are Jayant Yadav, Axar Patel and Karun Nair.
Below is the full list of contracted players:
#TeamIndia Annual Player Contracts 2018-19: Grade A + @imVkohli @ImRo45 @Jaspritbumrah93 pic.twitter.com/8KCxhPgxb5
— BCCI (@BCCI) March 7, 2019
#TeamIndia Annual Player Contracts 2018-19: Grade A @ashwinravi99 @imjadeja @BhuviOfficial @cheteshwar1 @ajinkyarahane88 @msdhoni @SDhawan25 @MdShami11 @ImIshant @imkuldeep18 @RishabPant777 pic.twitter.com/ddaXGG7yeV
— BCCI (@BCCI) March 7, 2019
#TeamIndia Annual Player Contracts 2018-19: Grade B@klrahul11 @y_umesh @yuzi_chahal @hardikpandya7 pic.twitter.com/q9BpCILGDm
— BCCI (@BCCI) March 7, 2019
#TeamIndia Annual Player Contracts 2018-19: Grade C@JadhavKedar @DineshKarthik @RayuduAmbati @im_manishpandey @Hanumavihari @imK_Ahmed13 @Wriddhipops pic.twitter.com/R7NfNhlQuI
— BCCI (@BCCI) March 7, 2019
How Twitter reacted:
Am I the only one who feels Rishabh Pant getting a Grade A contract already is a joke?!
— Swetha Harini (@Swez_S) March 8, 2019
@cricketaakash sir why did rishabh pant got an A grade contract and he has only done good in test format and not done anything in odi and t20 format? Pllss rply
— Chirag Gupta (@ChiragG94877418) March 8, 2019
Only a year in International cricket and Rishabh Pant gets A grade contract…
— Kaustubh Mokal (@KaustubhMokal3) March 8, 2019
What is a grade for @RishabPant777
He is still a young cricketer@DineshKarthik @RayuduAmbati and All Rounder @hardikpandya7 Grade c
It also seems to be politicized
Everyone knows that Karthik is a hundred percent higher than Pant’s game
Start thinking about senior cricketers— im@sateeshkumar1⃣8⃣🇮🇳 (@Sateeshkumar18a) March 8, 2019
What do you done BCCI
PANT in A GRADE WHAT did special he done instead RAYUDU & KARTHIK & KEDAR. they all r MATCH WINNERS instead PANT who did not WIN single MATCH for INDIA
BAD VERY BAD DISAPPOINTED.
Decision like this SHOWS how things POLITICISED in your ADMINISTRATION— Sajid Nandoliya (@sajid_nandoliya) March 8, 2019
Question is have he done enough to earn this. Or can he handle this much success in such a early age. For his sake we all hope he should..
— amir hussain (@Iam_amir86) March 7, 2019
Too early to give category A contract
— ALOK SINHA (@AlokSinha04) March 7, 2019
Pant doesn’t even play consistently yet.
— Jay Deshpande (@JayDeshpande8) March 7, 2019
Too soo to offer Category A contract.
— NI3 (@NI3INDIAN) March 7, 2019
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