NEW DELHI, Feb 28, 2024 (BSS/AFP) - Three India players had their contracts upgraded Wednesday by the national cricket board after stellar performances, as it expanded its players' list from 26 to 30.

KL Rahul, Shubman Gill and Mohammed Siraj join teammates Ravichandran Ashwin, Mohammed Shami and Hardik Pandya in the A grade.

But the top four players in the A+ category remain unchanged -- Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Jasprit Bumrah and Ravindra Jadeja -- the Board of Control for Cricket in India announced.

The BCCI did not stipulate pay for each category, but last year A+ contracts meant an annual salary of $844,000, with A-grade players earning $603,000.

Opener Yashasvi Jaiswal, 22, the stand-out performer in the ongoing Test series against England, entered the list on his first BCCI central contract on grade B -- a $362,000 salary, according to last year's figures.

But the BCCI missed out Shreyas Iyer and Ishan Kishan, saying they were "not considered" for the annual contracts in this round.

BCCI chief Jay Shah said he "recommended that all athletes give precedence to participating in domestic cricket during periods when they are not representing the national team".

The contract lists of four grades run from October 2023 to September 2024.