The Board of Control for Cricket in India has officially released its central contract list for the 2025/26 season, signaling a significant shift in the structural hierarchy of Indian cricket. In a move that reflects the changing landscape of the national team’s roster and the natural progression of veteran careers, former captains Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli have been moved to Grade B. This decision follows their transition away from multiple formats of the game over the past two years. Both players had been fixtures in the topmost contract bracket for the majority of their record-breaking careers, but their current focus on limited-overs cricket has necessitated a realignment of their contractual status according to the board’s updated evaluation criteria.
The latest announcement also confirms a major change to the grading system itself. The BCCI has opted to scrap the elite A+ contract bracket entirely, which previously served as a dedicated category for all-format regulars and marquee performers. Under the new structure, Grade A now represents the highest tier of the central contracts. For the men’s national team, only three players have secured a place in this premier category. Test captain Shubman Gill, premier fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah, and veteran all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja are the sole male representatives in the top flight, highlighting a narrowing of the elite field as the team manages various transitions across different versions of the sport.
While the men’s elite list has seen a reduction in numbers, the women’s contract list shows a robust core of leadership and talent in the top tier. Four women players have been awarded Grade A contracts for the current cycle. This group includes national captain Harmanpreet Kaur, prolific top-order batters Smriti Mandhana and Jemimah Rodrigues, and versatile all-rounder Deepti Sharma. The parity in the number of top-tier contracts between the men’s and women’s programs underscores the board’s ongoing efforts to professionalize and stabilize the women’s game, rewarding consistent performers who lead the side across international competitions.
The demotion of Kohli and Sharma to Grade B is largely a byproduct of their retirement from specific formats. Both stalwarts stepped away from T20 International cricket following the 2024 season and subsequently concluded their Test careers last year. Kohli officially retired from the longest format of the game in May 2025, while Rohit Sharma, who served as the Test captain during a period of significant transition, stepped down and retired from red-ball cricket just days prior to Kohli’s announcement. Despite their absence from the Test and T20 squads, both remain integral components of India’s One Day International setup. Their recent form in the fifty-over format has been exceptional, with Kohli recording a standout 2025/26 season where he amassed 616 runs in nine matches, including three centuries.
Joining Kohli and Sharma in the Grade B bracket is a mix of white-ball specialists and established stars. Suryakumar Yadav, who is currently serving as India’s T20I captain during the 2026 T20 World Cup, headlines this group. Despite his leadership role in the shortest format, his lack of presence in the Test arena places him in the second tier. Other prominent names in the Grade B category include Hardik Pandya, Rishabh Pant, KL Rahul, and Shreyas Iyer. The list is rounded out by bowling mainstays Mohammed Siraj and Kuldeep Yadav, along with rising talents Yashasvi Jaiswal and Washington Sundar. This bracket effectively serves as the engine room of India’s limited-overs ambitions, featuring players who are expected to carry the load in upcoming ICC tournaments.
A notable development in the men’s lower tiers is the placement of Axar Patel. Despite being the vice-captain of the T20I side, Patel has been included in Grade C. This suggests a strict adherence by the BCCI to a formula that weighs format participation and longevity over specific leadership titles in a single format. For the women’s team, the Grade B category has been streamlined to include just four players. Renuka Thakur, Shafali Verma, Richa Ghosh, and Sneh Rana have secured these spots, representing the core of the team’s bowling and aggressive batting units. The shrinking size of the middle-tier brackets for both teams indicates a more performance-driven and selective approach by the national selectors.
Perhaps the most discussed omission from the 2025/26 contract list is that of veteran fast bowler Mohammed Shami. A year ago, Shami was a fixture in Grade B and a primary weapon for the Indian pace attack. However, the veteran seamer has not featured for the national side since the 2025 Champions Trophy final in March. While reports indicate that Shami has remained active and fit while playing domestic cricket, the selectors have opted not to include him in the central contract pool for this cycle. This omission raises questions about the future of the experienced bowler in the national setup as the team looks to integrate younger fast-bowling prospects into the rotation.
The restructuring of these contracts arrives at a pivotal time for Indian cricket. With the 2026 T20 World Cup currently underway and the roadmap for the next ODI World Cup being drawn, the BCCI’s decision to move away from the A+ category reflects a desire to simplify the pay scales and reward those who are available for the widest range of international duties. The transition of Kohli and Sharma into Grade B marks the end of an era where the two were the undisputed faces of all three formats. However, their continued dominance in ODIs suggests that while their contractual grade has changed, their influence on the field remains a vital asset for the national team’s success in the 50-over game.
The board’s focus on Shubman Gill as a Grade A player further cements his status as the cornerstone of the next generation. As the Test captain and a regular in all formats, Gill represents the blueprint the BCCI is looking for in its top-tier athletes. Similarly, the inclusion of Jasprit Bumrah and Ravindra Jadeja in the highest bracket emphasizes the value placed on elite multi-format players who provide balance to the squad. As the 2026 season progresses, these contractual designations will likely serve as a benchmark for the players as they navigate a dense international calendar. The BCCI has signaled that while past contributions are respected, the current contractual system is firmly rooted in active participation and future-proofing the national squads across all levels of the game.
BCCI Updates Annual Contracts as Kohli and Rohit Move to Grade B
