Seamer Mohammed Shami found himself out of the Board of Control for Cricket in India's (BCCI) 26-member annual contracts system, which saw the addition of a new category.
The removal of Shami may be a coincidence with the ongoing controversy involving his wife, who accused the Bengal pacer, who was in the B category in the last term, of domestic violence and extra-marital affairs.
The new category, termed A+, includes captain Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, Shikhar Dhawan, Jasprit Bumrah, Bhuvneshwar Kumar -- all of them entitled to Rs 7 crore as annual pay.
Delhi left-handed opening batsman Dhawan has seen a meteoric rise as he was in the C category last year.
Former captain and talismanic wicketkeeper Mahendra Singh Dhoni was placed in the A category and will take home Rs 5 crore.
Meanwhile, 19 women cricketers have been given contracts across three categories. In the A category, Mithali Raj, Jhulan Goswami, Harmanpreet Kaur and Smriti Mandhana will get Rs 50 lakh each per year. The players in the B category will get Rs 30 lakh. A new C category has been declared, with the players in this category standing to earn Rs 10 lakh per year.
--IANS
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