Young opener Yashasvi Jaiswal and all-rounder Shivam Dube are set to be included in the BCCI central contract for the upcoming 2023-24 season, recognizing their outstanding performances for the Indian cricket team.

Notably, the names of the Mumbai duo were absent from the list of 26 Indian players who received contracts for the 2022-23 season, announced by the Board on March 26 last year.

Jaiswal, who made his Test debut during the West Indies tour in July 2023, showcased his talent with a remarkable innings of 171 on debut. In the four Tests he has played so far, he has accumulated 316 runs at an impressive average of 45.14.

During the same West Indies tour, Jaiswal also made his T20I debut in Guyana. In his 16 T20I appearances, he has amassed 498 runs at an outstanding strike rate of 163.81, maintaining an average of 35.57. These performances have undoubtedly contributed to his potential inclusion in the upcoming central contract list.

Meanwhile, Shivam Dube boasts a T20I record of 20 appearances, amassing 275 runs with three half-centuries at an impressive strike rate of 149.45. In the ODI format, he has played a single match, contributing 9 runs. His bowling prowess in T20Is is evident with a tally of 8 wickets.

In the recent second T20I against Afghanistan in Indore, played on Sunday night, Dube exhibited his batting prowess with a rapid-fire 32-ball 63*, while Jaiswal contributed with a score of 68 runs. Their outstanding performances played a crucial role in India comfortably chasing down Afghanistan’s target of 172. Earlier, in the first T20I in Mohali, Dube played a crucial role with a blistering 40-ball 60* to aid India in securing victory.

“The selectors and the team management want him to bowl more and more, as that adds immense value to Dube as a player. This is why he is bowling a fair bit during this series. If he can chip in with a few overs with the ball, he can cement his place in the side for the T20 World Cup in the West Indies and USA. This is crucial because he is the ideal backup to the injury-prone Hardik Pandya,” a reliable source in the BCCI told TOI.