Players like Navdeep Saini, Deepak Chahar and Shardul Thakur have played extremely well in the T20Is that India played in the last season and that led to them getting central contracts for the cycle of October 2019- September 2020. This was the first time when BCCI recognized T20I performances and included the criteria of providing contracts to those who have played at least 10 T20Is for India.

“The selectors were told to go ahead with this new criterion for T20 specialists. This is likely to be approved in the next apex council meeting,” a BCCI official said.

With the T20 World Cup coming up later this year, the idea was to focus on T20 specialists who have done well for India in the past season and back them even more to boost their confidence. Sundar too has been given the long run in the T20Is and has been one of the mainstays of the team ahead of the T20 World Cup in Australia. 

"The board is looking forward to the two T20 World Cups scheduled for the next two years. That’s why the players who have done well in white-ball cricket post the 2019 World Cup — like Deepak Chahar, Navdeep Saini, Shardul Thakur, Shreyas Iyer and Washington Sundar — have been given contracts," the official stated.

"These players are seen as prospects to make it to the T20 World Cup in Australia in October. KL Rahul too has been promoted to Grade A from B largely based on his form in white-ball cricket,” he further added.

Navdeep Saini was the only exception in this case as he has not played 10 T20Is for India. However, the right-arm pacer is all but set to take a place in the 15-man squad for the T20 World Cup, with immediate impact in the Indian colours.