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The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on February 28 announced the list of centrally contracted players. While a few prominent players were dropped from the list including Ishan Kishan and Shreyas Iyer, many were added to the list. A few players got a promotion as well but left-arm chinaman bowler Kuldeep Yadav remained in Grade B. Kuldeep’s childhood coach Kapil Dev Pandey is not happy with the board as he believes Kuldeep deserves more.
“Kuldeep is perhaps one of the best in the world, at the moment. He should have been promoted to Grade A. He has been performing consistently well, but I am sure he will achieve that place soon,” Pandey told IANS.
“Whatever, opportunity he is getting currently, he is delivering tremendously. I spoke to him a few days back and told him to keep up the spirit and don’t bother about anything else and focus only on the game,” he added.
Kuldeep’s impressive show against England
Kuldeep was added to the side after Ravindra Jadeja injured his hamstring in the Hyderabad Test. He took four wickets in the Vizag Test to help India level the series 1-1. In the Rajkot Test, he took four wickets and contributed 27 runs as a nightwatchman. In the Ranchi Test, he shared a crucial partnership with young wicketkeeper-batter Dhruv Jurel. He faced as many as 131 balls to keep English bowlers from wrapping up India's first innings. Later, he took a four-wicket haul as India took an unassailable lead in the series.
Kuldeep is likely to be seen in action again when India take on Ben Stokes-led England in the final Test of the series in Dharamsala starting March 7.
Other players in Grade B
Along with Kuldeep, Suryakumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant, Axar Patel and Yashasvi Jaiswal are there in Grade B. Jaiswal is the latest entrant on the annual contracts list.
Pant got demoted as he has not played a single game since he survived a horrific car accident on December 30, 2022. Suryakumar has been out of action as well after injuring his ankle during a T20I clash against South Africa.
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