'Why is Hardik Pandya in Grade A?': BCCI lambasted after announcing central contracts list

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on Wednesday announced the Annual Player Contracts for a total of 30 players who are part of the men's senior team. Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Jasprit Bumrah, and Ravindra Jadeja have been awarded the Grade A+ contract, the top-tier agreement for players in the Indian team. 

One of the biggest highlights of the BCCI announcement is the termination of the contracts of players including the likes of Shreyas Iyer, Ishan Kishan, Shikhar Dhawan, Umesh Yadav, Cheteshwar Pujara, Yuzvendra Chahal, and Deepak Hooda. The BCCI said that Shreyas Iyer and Ishan Kishan were not considered for the annual contracts in the latest round of recommendations.  

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Netizens mock BCCI's decision to include Hardik Pandya in Grade A contract

All-rounder Hardik Pandya has been named in the Grade A list despite not being part of the team regularly. Pandya was last seen in action for Team India during the Cricket World Cup 2023 in November. He sustained an injury during the tournament and was ruled out. However, netizens on social media are amused by Hardik Pandya's inclusion in the Grade A list.  

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