Was it right to give Kuldeep Yadav a Grade B central contract? His childhood coach, Kapil Dev Pandey, certainly doesn’t think so. While it is an upgrade from his last year’s C grade, given that the spinner now plays all three formats and has been representing India for the last seven years, including multiple World Cups, it can be understood why it doesn’t seem fair.
Speaking to IANS, his childhood coach said:
“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.”
“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.”
Other than Kuldeep Yadav, the other four members who have gotten Grade B contracts are Yashasvi Jaiswal, Surya Kumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant, and Axar Patel.
Out of these four, only Axar Patel plays in all three formats, and that too not consistently. Jaiswal has played a total of 25 matches for India so far. Suryakumar isn’t a starter in Tests or T20Is, and Pant is yet to prove himself as a batter and wicketkeeper following his accident in December 2022.
Given that Hardik Pandya, who plays only two formats for India, has been awarded a Grade A contract, it makes sense that the spinner should have gotten a Grade A contract as well.
