The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has finalized its central contracts list for the 2025-26 season, bringing a major structural change. The board has removed the Grade A+ category and introduced a three-tier system Grade A, Grade B, and Grade C based on recent performance, workload, and multi-format availability.
The new list includes 30 players, with Shubman Gill, Jasprit Bumrah, and Ravindra Jadeja placed in the top Grade A category. Former captains Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, who are currently active mainly in ODIs, have been moved down to Grade B.
Central Contract Structure and Annual Salary
| Grade | Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Grade A | ₹5 Crore |
| Grade B | ₹3 Crore |
| Grade C | ₹1 Crore |
The removal of the ₹7 crore A+ bracket marks a shift toward performance-based and format-specific evaluation.
Grade A Players (Top Category)
| Player |
|---|
| Shubman Gill |
| Jasprit Bumrah |
| Ravindra Jadeja |
Gill’s elevation reflects his growing leadership role and consistent performances, while Bumrah and Jadeja continue to be key multi-format match-winners.
Grade B Players
| Player |
|---|
| Rohit Sharma |
| Virat Kohli |
| Suryakumar Yadav |
| Washington Sundar |
| KL Rahul |
| Hardik Pandya |
| Mohammed Siraj |
| Rishabh Pant |
| Kuldeep Yadav |
| Yashasvi Jaiswal |
| Shreyas Iyer |
The presence of senior stars Rohit and Kohli in this category highlights the board’s emphasis on format participation and workload management.
Grade C Players
| Player |
|---|
| Axar Patel |
| Tilak Varma |
| Rinku Singh |
| Shivam Dube |
| Sanju Samson |
| Arshdeep Singh |
| Prasidh Krishna |
| Akash Deep |
| Dhruv Jurel |
| Harshit Rana |
| Varun Chakravarthy |
| Nitish Kumar Reddy |
| Abhishek Sharma |
| Sai Sudharsan |
| Ravi Bishnoi |
| Ruturaj Gaikwad |
This category includes several young players who have impressed in domestic and international cricket, signaling a strong focus on future talent.
The biggest change is the removal of the A+ category, which earlier included senior all-format players. The new structure reflects a transition phase in Indian cricket, where availability across formats plays a major role in contract grading.
Shubman Gill’s promotion to the top bracket underlines his growing importance in the team’s long-term plans. Meanwhile, experienced players like Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli remain central to India’s ODI setup despite the grade adjustment.
A few notable names have missed out this year, indicating stricter performance and fitness-based evaluation.
The 2025-26 contracts reflect a clear shift toward the next generation while maintaining a balance of experience. With young players entering the system and senior stars managing workloads, the structure highlights the evolving roadmap of Indian cricket.
