BCCI annual contracts: Dhawan, Bhuvi demoted; Pant gets category A deal
Acknowledging Rishabh Pant 's consistent performance, the BCCI has rewarded the young wicketkeeper-batsman with a grade A retainership while demoting senior opener Shikhar Dhawan from the elite A plus category in the latest list of Central Contracts. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced the annual contracts late on Thursday night, handing retainership to 25 cricketers in four groups of A plus (Rs 7 crore), A (Rs 5 crore), B (Rs 3 crore) and C (Rs 1 crore). Last year 26 players were handed contracts. Not only Dhawan but pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar has also been dropped from the highest-paying category and now only three players -- skipper Virat Kohli, limited overs deputy Rohit Sharma and premier pacer in all formats speedster Jasprit Bumrah -- figure in the elite category. While left arm pacer Khaleel Ahmed and batsman Hanuma Vihari are new entrants in the C group. Mayank Agarwal, Prithvi Shaw and Vijay Shankar, who have made impression in Tests an