Almost midway into the brand new annual retainership cycle, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is yet to even start discussions in regards to the men’s central contracts for 2024-25.
“We have had some deliberation on the women’s central contracts, but the men’s contracts is not on the agenda in the near future,” Devajit Saikia, the BCCI secretary, instructed The Hindu on Thursday.
The Hindu additionally understands that the BCCI office-bearers are probably to discuss the central retainer listing informally with chief selector Ajit Agarkar on the sidelines of the Indian Premier League’s (IPL’s) opening recreation in Kolkata on Saturday.
The BCCI awards central contacts to males (since 2004-05) and girls (2015-16) for the cycle beginning in October and ending in September to keep the consistency together with its AGM cycle. However, seldom have the annual contracts been formally introduced earlier than December.
The final cycle noticed the men’s annual retainer listing being out on February 28, 5 months into the cycle whereas the ladies’s contracts listing was by no means formally introduced. Conventionally, the BCCI president, BCCI secretary and chief selector meet to finalise the contracted gamers’ lists.
Last yr, the retainership announcement was highlighted with Shreyas Iyer and Ishan Kishan not being thought of due to ignoring home cricket commitments for his or her respective sides.
The BCCI insiders attribute the fixed delay in the previous couple of years due to the authorized points the physique discovered itself in because the 2013 IPL spot-fixing scandal.
The delays have additionally resulted in a requirement from a sure part of gamers for the contract cycle to be restructured from April to March. “With no international cricket commitments for the Indian team in April and May, the gradation can be finalised during the IPL and the players will be more secure at the start of a new international cycle,” mentioned a participant, citing anonymity.
This time round, the anticipated elevation of Jay Shah from the publish of BCCI secretary to ICC chairman meant the assembly was not convened in November. Thereafter, with Agarkar being away in Australia with the squad and Saikia taking on as secretary solely on January 12, the central contracts’ subject was placed on the backburner.
Published – March 20, 2025 09:10 pm IST
