BCCI announces 2024–25 central contracts: Kohli, Rohit, Bumrah in A+; Jaiswal, Rinku among big risers

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has released its annual central contracts list for the 2024–25 season, with senior players Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and Jasprit Bumrah retaining their positions in the top Grade A+ category. The new list reflects a shifting focus in Indian cricket, including the promotion of emerging stars, significant omissions, and structural revisions aligning with India’s evolving team strategy.

Grade A+: The elite retain their place

Three players—Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and Jasprit Bumrah—have been named in the prestigious Grade A+ category, continuing to command an annual retainer of ₹7 crore. All three remain core to India’s leadership group and are seen as vital to Team India’s performance across formats, especially with the ICC T20 World Cup 2024 and the ongoing World Test Championship cycle in focus.

Grade A: Hardik, Jadeja, and Kuldeep headline the second tier

The Grade A category, worth ₹5 crore annually, features six players:

• Hardik Pandya
• Ravindra Jadeja
• Ravichandran Ashwin
• Mohammed Shami
• Mohammed Siraj
• KL Rahul

Also joining them in this grade is Kuldeep Yadav, who has been rewarded for consistent performances across formats in the past year. The left-arm spinner’s elevation signals India’s renewed investment in versatile bowling options, particularly in white-ball cricket.

Grade B: Gill, Yadav, and newcomers rise

Players in the Grade B tier earn ₹3 crore annually. Notable inclusions here are:

• Shubman Gill
• Suryakumar Yadav
• Axar Patel
• Yashasvi Jaiswal

Jaiswal, who made a strong impression during India’s Test series against England, is one of the biggest risers in this year’s list, while Gill and Suryakumar continue to be integral in white-ball formats.

Grade C: New names and fringe regulars

The Grade C list, which carries an annual retainer of ₹1 crore, includes:

• Shreyas Iyer
• Ruturaj Gaikwad
• Rinku Singh
• Washington Sundar
• Sanju Samson
• Arshdeep Singh
• Mukesh Kumar
• Avesh Khan
• Kumar Kartikeya
• Ravi Bishnoi
• Rajat Patidar
• Jitesh Sharma
• Prasidh Krishna
• Shivam Dube

Several of these players, such as Rinku Singh and Jitesh Sharma, have gained prominence in T20s and are part of India’s long-term strategy in that format. Ruturaj Gaikwad and Shreyas Iyer have been more on the fringe recently but retain their places within the BCCI’s plans.

Major omissions: Pujara, Rahul, and others miss out

Some high-profile names have been left out of this year’s contract list. These include:

• Cheteshwar Pujara
• Ajinkya Rahane
• Ishant Sharma
• Umesh Yadav
• Shikhar Dhawan
• Bhuvneshwar Kumar

While not entirely out of contention for national selection, their omission underscores the generational shift underway in Indian cricket and the BCCI’s focus on youth and form-based selections.

Retainers tied to performance and participation

As in previous years, central contracts are supplemented by per-match fees for each format:

• Test matches: ₹15 lakh
• ODIs: ₹6 lakh
• T20Is: ₹3 lakh

Additionally, the BCCI reiterated its emphasis on fitness and domestic cricket participation as key components in selection and grading.

BCCI’s evolving strategy

This contract list marks another step in India’s ongoing transition, particularly in Test cricket, with younger players like Jaiswal and Gill taking on greater responsibility. The blend of experienced veterans and dynamic newcomers reflects a balanced approach ahead of a packed international calendar that includes the T20 World Cup in June, the ongoing WTC cycle, and the Champions Trophy in 2025.

With the IPL 2025 season also set to serve as a critical barometer for T20 talent ahead of the World Cup, many of the Grade B and C players will be aiming to make strong cases for their elevation in the next contract cycle..

Devajit Saikia

Honorary Secretary

BCCI

Name of Author: Cricexec Staff

Cricexec Staff