Former India cricketer Aakash Chopra has questioned the injustice done to India all-rounder Axar Patel, after the T20I vice-captain was placed in Grade C in the recent BCCI central contracts list for the 2025-26 season.

The A+ bracket has been eliminated under the BCCI's redesigned central contracts framework, which now places Grade A as the highest tier.

Only three players have been selected at that top level for the 2025–26 season: seasoned all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja, ODI and Test captain Shubman Gill, and Jasprit Bumrah.

Axar, who has been a consistent member of the Test teams and in the white-ball setup, was downgraded from Grade B to C, which upset Chopra.

What more must the all-rounder do to earn what he truly deserves? The former India batsman wondered on X. Chopra also felt that Arshdeep Singh should not have been in Grade-C and was upset that players like Hardik Pandya, KL Rahul, and Kuldeep Yadav were not in Grade-A.

“Axar Patel ko aur kya karna hoga to get what he deserves? Three format player. Vice-captain in one format. Grade-C?? Also, if Jadeja and Gill are in Grade-A, why aren’t Hardik, Rahul and Kuldeep?? Even Arshdeep shouldn’t be in Grade-C,” Chopra posted on X.

In an interaction on his YouTube channel, Chopra questioned why two-format players like Ravindra Jadeja and Shubman Gill were in Grade-A while guys like Rahul and Hardik were not. According to the former batter, Axar was handled unfairly and should have been in Grade-A.

"Only three players are in Grade A: Shubman Gill, Jasprit Bumrah, and Ravindra Jadeja. If two-format players like Gill and Jadeja are in Grade A, then what did Hardik Pandya or KL Rahul do wrong? Kuldeep Yadav plays all three formats. Axar Patel is India’s T20 vice-captain, plays ODIs, is always available for Tests — yet he’s in Grade C.

Arshdeep Singh, India’s best T20 bowler, is also in Grade C. Mohammed Siraj is in Grade B despite being a three-format player. Frankly, this feels unfair. Axar Patel absolutely deserved to be in Grade A," said Chopra.

Having made his India debut in 2015, Axar Patel has played 15 Tests, scored 688 runs and taken 57 wickets. He has taken 75 wickets and scored 858 runs in 71 ODIs, while in T20Is, he has 700 runs and 88 wickets to his name in 88 games.