Cheteshwar Pujara set to get a pay hike after his recent heroics

Indian batsman Cheteshwar Pujara has been in the form of his life as he kept batting and ensured the Australians were tired, both physically and mentally in the ongoing four-match Test series.

In seven innings so far, the Saurashtra right-hander has scored 521 runs at an excellent average of 74.42 with the help of three centuries. Without a doubt, he is one of the mainstays of the Indian team in the format.

As a token of appreciation, the BCCI are likely to give Pujara a promotion from A category to A plus category in the annual central contracts. According to the existing pay structure, A Plus category players get INR 7 crore while A category players will get INR 5 crore. The B and C category players get INR 3 and 1 crore respectively.

The A Plus category comprises all the all-format players including the skipper Kohli, limited overs deputy Rohit Sharma, Jasprit Bumrah, Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Shikhar Dhawan, who at the time of the announcement of the existing contract, were a part of the Test side.

It is understood that CoA chief Vinod Rai is likely to bring up Pujara's case with the chairman of selectors MSK Prasad and the team management (captain Virat Kohli and Ravi Shastri) before the list for the next cycle is announced.

"Pujara's brilliant performance deserves recognition. The CoA chief will discuss with the team management and the chief selector to check if the rule for all-format specialists in the top bracket can be relaxed. Pujara's elevation to the top bracket could well be a message for youngsters that performance in Test cricket will be given top priority," a senior BCCI told PTI.

Pujara is one of the two players in the side (Ishant Sharma being the other one) who only plays the first-class format and does not feature in the IPL as he will fly to England to take part in the County Championships during May every year.