Hardik Pandya has been demoted from Grade A to C in the BCCI’s latest annual retainership contracts, which the apex council ratified on Wednesday.

While out-of-favour Test players Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane and Ishant Sharma were demoted to Grade B from A, Wriddhiman Saha was pushed down to Grade C from B.

The most notable demotion was of all-rounder Pandya, who was moved from Grade A to C along with Shikhar Dhawan. Umesh Yadav and Bhuvneshwar Kumar have also been moved down to Grade C.

Axar Patel and Mohammed Siraj have been promoted to Grade B from C. Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and Jasprit Bumrah have retained their places in the Grade A+ list.

Among other decisions at the meeting, former national selector Abey Kuruvilla has been made the GM (operations) of the BCCI. The post was lying vacant after Dhiraj Malhotra resigned two months ago.