13. Kuldeep Yadav – ₹5 Crores
India’s chinaman bowler has been making rapid progress in international cricket. With every passing day Kuldeep is learning new things. Even good players of spin hasn’t been able to decode Kuldeep’s variations.
When it comes to bowling googlies, there is a subtle difference in Kuldeep’s wrist position. As a result the opposition batsmen fail to pick him. Kuldeep has been part of all the three formats and hence his contract was improved from ₹3 crores to ₹5 crores.
14. Rishabh Pant – ₹5 Crores
Since his debut in Test cricket, Pant has made huge progress. He became the first Indian wicketkeeper to score centuries in England and Australia. He has also improved his wicketkeeping skills and is now a complete cricketer.
With his recent performances, the 21-year-old cricketer has definitely sealed his place in Test format. But in limited-overs cricket Pant is a bit inconsistent. However he will soon make a mark as he has a great domestic cricket. This is the first central contract for Pant and he is slotted in ‘Grade A’ straightaway.
*Inclusions – Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Shikhar Dhawan, Mohammed Shami, Ishant Sharma, Kuldeep Yadav, Rishabh Pant
Exclusions – Murali Vijay, Wriddhiman Saha