The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has officially announced the Annual Player Retainership (central contracts) for Team India Senior Men and Senior Women for the 2025-26 season, signaling a massive shift in the hierarchy of Indian cricket.
The central contracts which covers the period from October 1, 2025, to September 30, 2026, comprising 30 players across three grades, reflects a notable restructuring, including the apparent scrapping of the elite A+ category from previous years.
Add Zee News as a Preferred Source
The New Structure: Virat, Rohit Demoted To “Grade B’
In a move that has stunned many, the prestigious Grade A+ category has been discontinued, leading to the demotion of modern-day legends Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma.
Following the recommendations of the national selection committee led by Ajit Agarkar, the BCCI has streamlined the contract system into three groups: Grade A, Grade B, and Grade C. The decision to scrap the elite ₹7 crore (A+) bracket reflects a new policy that prioritizes multi-format availability and workload over past achievements.
With Rohit and Virat having retired from T20Is and Tests to focus solely on the ODI format, they no longer fit the criteria for the top tier, which is now reserved for “all-format” players.
Men’s Central Contracts 2025-26
Grade A: The New Elite
Only three players have secured the top-tier Grade A contracts. These individuals are considered the backbone of India’s current across-the-board campaigns.
Heading the top Grade A are three standout performers: Shubman Gill (current Test and ODI captain), Jasprit Bumrah (India’s premier pacer and consistent all-format star), and Ravindra Jadeja (veteran all-rounder).
Their retention at the highest level highlights their pivotal roles in the team’s ongoing success across formats.
Players: Shubman Gill, Jasprit Bumrah, Ravindra Jadeja.
Grade B: Senior Stalwarts & Format Specialists
Grade B includes a strong mix of experienced players and key contributors. It included the former captains and several high-impact performers.
Players: Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav (T20I captain), Washington Sundar, KL Rahul, Mohammed Siraj, Hardik Pandya, Rishabh Pant, Kuldeep Yadav, Yashasvi Jaiswal, and Shreyas Iyer.
Grade C: The Emerging Core
A total of 16 players have been awarded Grade C contracts, including several new faces who have impressed in domestic and recent international outings and specialists as well.
Players: 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.
Key Takeaways and Noteworthy Omissions
The Shami & Kishan Shock: Veteran India pacer Mohammed Shami and wicketkeeper-batter Ishan Kishan are the most high-profile names missing from the central contracts list for the 2025-26 season.
While Shami hasn’t been in the scheme of things for the Indian cricket team in recent times, Ishan’s exclusion comes despite his inclusion in the 2026 T20 World Cup squad.
New Faces: Sai Sudharsan and Nitish Kumar Reddy have earned their maiden central contracts, rewarding their consistency in the IPL and domestic circuits.
Women’s Retainership Highlights
In the Women’s category, star batter Jemimah Rodrigues has been promoted to Grade A following her heroics in the 2025 Women’s ODI World Cup. She joins Harmanpreet Kaur, Smriti Mandhana, and Deepti Sharma in the top bracket.
Grade A: Harmanpreet Kaur, Smriti Mandhana, Jemimah Rodrigues, Deepti Sharma
Grade B: Renuka Thakur, Shafali Verma, Richa Ghosh, Sneh Rana, Radha Yadav, Amanjot Kaur, Pratika Rawal, Kranti Gaud, Uma Chetry, Arundhati Reddy
Grade C: Shree Charani, Yastika Bhatia, Harleen Deol, Kashvee Gautam, G Kamalini, Vaishnavi Sharma, Tejal Hasabnis
