Speculation is growing over potential changes to the BCCI central contracts for men, particularly regarding the A+ category, following the retirement of Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and Ravindra Jadeja from T20Is. The men’s contract list, which featured 30 players last year, is expected to be released soon, even as the women’s central contracts have already been announced. The A+ category offers a retainership fee of Rs 7 crore, followed by Grade A at Rs 5 crore, while players in Grades B and C receive Rs 3 crore and Rs 1 crore, respectively.
A key point of contention within the BCCI is whether Rohit, Kohli, and Jadeja should retain their A+ contracts, according to a PTI report. Last year, they were part of the highest pay bracket along with Jasprit Bumrah, who remains an all-format player. Traditionally, the A+ category is reserved for those featuring across all three formats. However, with Rohit, Kohli, and Jadeja now limited to Tests and ODIs, only Bumrah fits that criterion.
Despite this, an influential faction within the BCCI is pushing to maintain the status quo for the A+ category, ensuring these senior players remain in the top bracket. The central contracts are formulated by the national selection committee in collaboration with head coach Gautam Gambhir and secretary Devajit Saikia before being presented to the Apex Council for final approval.
Elsewhere in the contract list, significant changes are anticipated in other categories. Ravichandran Ashwin, who has retired from international cricket, will be removed. Meanwhile, Axar Patel, who was recently named vice-captain for India’s T20I series against England, is likely to be promoted from Grade B to Grade A due to his consistent performances across formats.
Shreyas Iyer, controversially omitted from last year’s list despite playing 11 ODIs, is set for a return. However, Ishan Kishan, despite his strong IPL 2025 start, is unlikely to be included as he did not feature in any international matches in 2024, failing to meet the minimum requirement of three Tests, eight ODIs, or 10 T20Is.
Several young players are expected to earn their first central contracts. Bengal pacer Akash Deep, who has played seven Tests, Sarfaraz Khan, who has featured in three, and Nitish Kumar Reddy, who participated in the full Border-Gavaskar series (five Tests and four T20Is), are strong candidates for inclusion in Grade C.
The fate of Shardul Thakur and Ruturaj Gaikwad remains uncertain, as they do not currently meet the contract eligibility criteria. However, the selection committee, in consultation with the head coach and secretary, retains the discretion to make exceptions if deemed necessary.
Name of Author: Cricexec Staff
