"Why not Sir Jadeja?" - Aakash Chopra on only Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and Jasprit Bumrah getting Grade A+ contracts

Aakash Chopra has questioned Ravindra Jadeja's exclusion from the list of players who have been placed in Grade A+ in the Board of Control for Cricket in India's (BCCI) annual contract list.

Jadeja is one of the few certain picks in every Indian team across formats, with his stature growing by leaps and bounds over the last few years. However, he has only been given a Grade A contract. Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and Jasprit Bumrah are the three players in the highest grade - A+.

In a video shared on his YouTube channel, Aakash Chopra reckoned Jadeja could have been clubbed with the trio of Rohit, Kohli and Bumrah. He observed:

"Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and Jasprit Bumrah will get 7 crores rupees. There is no change in that category. And I feel why not Sir Jadeja? Sir Jadeja's name should also be there in this list."

The cricketer-turned-commentator feels Jadeja and KL Rahul will be promoted to the highest grade in next season's contracts. Aakash Chopra elaborated:

"I feel Ravindra Jadeja's name will go in the A+ category when the next contract renewal happens because his performance has been so good. His name is in Grade A currently. I feel Jadeja and KL Rahul's name will start going to A+ next time."

Jadeja and Rahul are likely to be elevated to Grade A+ if they continue to exhibit the form they have shown in recent times.

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"Rishabh Pant is going to be a massive contender" - Aakash Chopra

Rishabh Pant has become the first-choice wicketkeeper for Team India in all formats

Aakash Chopra also named Rishabh Pant as another player who deserves to be in the highest grade. He explained:

"Rishabh Pant is going to be a massive contender, you have made him the team's vice-captain but have placed him below. The same is for KL Rahul, move them up, get them to the 7 crores group, that's what I feel."

While highlighting that Suryakumar Yadav is the only new entrant on the contracted players' list, the 44-year-old lauded the elevation of Axar Patel, Shreyas Iyer and Mohammed Siraj. Aakash Chopra reasoned:

"There is only one new contracted player - that's Suryakumar Yadav. The three promoted players - who have come from Grade C to Grade B - they are Axar Patel, Shreyas Iyer and Mohammed Siraj, which is okay. Axar Patel has got a great start to his Test career, Shreyas Iyer's role has increased and Mohammed Siraj is a definite plus."

Shreyas Iyer's stocks have risen since his impressive Test debut for Team India against New Zealand in November last year. Axar Patel and Mohammed Siraj have also jumped to third spot in the pecking order of Indian spinners and pacers respectively in the longest format of the game.