The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) recently announced the annual retainers for the women’s team players for the upcoming season 2022-23. All-rounder Deepti Sharma has been promoted to the highest bracket of annual retainers worth Rs 50 lakh – Grade A. This puts her alongside Smriti Mandhana and Harmanpreet Kaur. The move comes as a recognition of Deepti’s consistent performances and crucial contributions to the team’s success.
However, leg spinner Poonam Yadav, who was in the highest bracket of the May 2021 central contracts, has been omitted along with the retired duo of Mithali Raj and Jhulan Goswami. Shikha Pandey, who was recalled ahead of this year’s T20 World Cup in South Africa after 15 months, has also been left out. This reshuffle of the contracts is in line with the BCCI’s policy of rewarding players based on their recent performances and form.
The Grade B list has been pruned to five from 10 players previously. The new entrants in Grade B are Renuka Singh and Richa Ghosh, who were previously handed Grade C contracts. The others include Jemimah Rodrigues, Shafali Verma, and Rajeshwari Gayakwad. Grade B has an annual retainership of Rs 30 lakh.
Grade C contracts, worth Rs 10 lakh, have nine players from six previously. The list includes first-timers such as fast bowlers Meghna Singh and Anjali Sarvani, all-rounders Pooja Vastrakar, Sneh Rana, and Devika Vaidya, and batters S. Meghana, Yastika Bhatia, and Harleen Deol. All-rounder Radha Yadav, who was previously in Grade B, is also part of this group.
It is worth noting that the women players now earn the same match fee as their male counterparts. They will receive Rs 15 lakh per Test, Rs 6 lakh per ODI, and Rs 3 lakh for a T20I. This move by the BCCI is a significant step towards gender parity and recognition of the women’s team’s hard work and dedication.
In conclusion, the BCCI’s announcement of the annual retainers for the women’s team players for the upcoming season reflects their efforts to reward players based on their recent performances and form. The promotion of Deepti Sharma to Grade A and the inclusion of new faces in Grade B and C contracts are testimony to the board’s commitment to recognizing talent and fostering growth in the women’s game.
