The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) recently announced the central contract list for the 2025–26 season, ushering in a clear shift in hierarchy within Indian cricket. The updated retainer list has placed senior stalwarts Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli in Grade B, while Shubman Gill has been elevated to the top Grade A bracket, signalling the board’s growing focus on the next generation.

A+ category scrapped as BCCI reshapes contract structure

In a major structural change, the BCCI has discontinued the A+ category for the upcoming season. With only three brackets now in place — Grade A, B, and C — the revised system reflects a more streamlined evaluation based on recent performances, workload, and long-term planning.

The highest Grade A contract has been awarded to Gill, Jasprit Bumrah, and Ravindra Jadeja, underlining their importance across formats and their consistent influence in high-pressure situations.

Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma demoted to Grade B

The placement of Rohit and Kohli in Grade B has naturally drawn attention, considering their stature and long-standing legacy in Indian cricket. However, the decision was largely expected, with both stalwarts now active primarily in the ODI format after stepping away from other international commitments. While they continue to be influential figures within the setup, the move reflects the BCCI’s intent to align contract grades with format availability, workload management, and the team’s evolving long-term vision.

They are joined in Grade B by the likes of  KL Rahul, Hardik Pandya, Rishabh Pant, Suryakumar Yadav, Shreyas Iyer, and other stars, who have earned a promotion after a solid run.

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Mohammed Shami, Ishan Kishan miss out

One of the biggest shocks from the list was the omission of Mohammed Shami, who was part of Grade A last season but now finds himself without a central contract. Injuries and limited appearances appear to have played a role in the decision. Meanwhile, Axar Patel has been pushed down from Grade B to Grade C after an inconsistent year. Further, the likes of Ishan Kishan, Sarfaraz Khan, Rajat Patidar, and Mukesh Kumar have also missed out entirely.

BCCI central contract list 2025–26

• Grade A: Shubman Gill, Jasprit Bumrah, Ravindra Jadeja
• Grade B: Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, Washington Sundar, KL Rahul, Mohammed Siraj, Hardik Pandya, Rishabh Pant, Kuldeep Yadav, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Suryakumar Yadav, Shreyas Iyer
• Grade C: Axar Patel, Tilak Varma, Rinku Singh, Shivam Dube, Sanju Samson, Arshdeep Singh, Prasidh Krishna, Akash Deep, Dhruv Jurel, Harshit Rana, Varun Chakaravarthy, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Abhishek Sharma, Sai Sudharsan, Ravi Bishnoi, Ruturaj Gaikwad

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