The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) officially unveiled its annual central contracts for the India senior men’s team for the 2025-26 season in February 2026. These contracts cover the period from October 1, 2025, to September 30, 2026, and are designed to provide financial stability and reward players for their contributions to Indian cricket.
Understanding the BCCI Contract Structure
The BCCI's retainership system categorizes players into different grades based on their performances, overall contribution, and involvement across various formats of the game. Currently, there are three active tiers: Grade A, Grade B, and Grade C, following the phasing out of the previous A+ category.
- Grade A: Annual fixed retainer of ₹5 crore
- Grade B: Annual fixed retainer of ₹3 crore
- Grade C: Annual fixed retainer of ₹1 crore
In addition to these annual retainers, players also receive match fees for each game played and can earn performance-based incentives, further boosting their earnings.
Key Placements in the 2025-26 Contracts
The latest contract list features a mix of established stars and emerging talents who have solidified their positions within India's international setup.
Grade A Roster
- Shubman Gill
- Jasprit Bumrah
- Ravindra Jadeja
Grade B Roster
Notably, two of India's most prominent cricketers, Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, have been placed in Grade B for this cycle. They are joined by:
- Rohit Sharma
- Virat Kohli
- Suryakumar Yadav
- Washington Sundar
- KL Rahul
- Hardik Pandya
- Mohammed Siraj
- Rishabh Pant
- Kuldeep Yadav
- Yashasvi Jaiswal
- Shreyas Iyer
Grade C Roster
The Grade C list includes several younger players and those who are part of the wider national squad:
- 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 Sudarshan
- Ravi Bishnoi
- Ruturaj Gaikwad
Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli's Grade B Move
A significant highlight of the 2025-26 contracts is the placement of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli in Grade B. In the previous contract cycle, both players held positions in the top A+ category, alongside Jasprit Bumrah and Ravindra Jadeja.
Their reassignment to Grade B reflects a change in their international roles. Both Sharma and Kohli have retired from T20 Internationals and Test matches but continue to be available for India in One Day Internationals (ODIs). This shift in commitment to fewer formats directly impacts their contractual grade, aligning with the BCCI's framework for player retention and financial support across different formats.
What Lies Ahead for BCCI Central Contracts
With the current central contract cycle concluding on September 30, 2026, the BCCI will conduct a thorough reassessment of player grades for the subsequent season. This evaluation will consider individual performances, overall availability, and their specific roles across India's Test, ODI, and T20I squads, ensuring the contract system remains dynamic and reflective of player contributions.