BCCI Delays Central Contracts Decision for Indian Men's Team

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has deferred a formal decision on the central contracts for the Indian men's team. Contrary to media reports, a high-powered meeting scheduled for Saturday did not take place.

A highly placed source confirmed to Cricbuzz, "All decisions have been deferred." While a meeting involving chief selector Ajit Agarkar, head coach Gautam Gambhir, and BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia was rumored to occur in Guwahati, it appears no such meeting was ever planned.

The selection committee has not yet formally discussed player grades, though the BCCI is reportedly eager to finalize decisions on both player contracts and the coaching staff.

Key changes expected in the contracts include:

• Shreyas Iyer being reinstated in the elite list after missing out last year.
• Ravichandran Ashwin being dropped from Grade A following his retirement from international cricket.
• Varun Chakaravarthy being automatically considered for retainership due to his recent performance and eligibility under BCCI rules.

The contracts will remain largely unchanged, with flexibility only in Grade C, which includes 15 players. Last year's retainership featured 30 players, with four in A+, six in A, and five in Grade B.

The BCCI is also expected to review the performance of the Indian team's coaching staff during the upcoming meeting.