The BCCI has decided to keep all senior players in the A+ category of its central contract list. Even though Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma retired from T20Is after winning the 2024 World Cup, they are likely to retain their A+ contracts because of their strong past performances.
Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, and Jasprit Bumrah have been part of the A+ category in BCCI’s annual central contract. Until last year, all three were regular players in all formats of the game. However, Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, and Ravindra Jadeja have now retired from T20Is. This has led to discussions within the BCCI about whether Kohli and Rohit should continue in the A+ category.
Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma Expected to Retain A+ Central Contracts
According to a report by Hindustan Times, Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, and Jasprit Bumrah are likely to keep their A+ contracts for the 2024-25 season. The report also mentioned that the BCCI’s contract system is reviewed based on past performances.
The last retainer declared by the BCCI for 2023-24 also saw all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja added to the top-most category. He, too, is expected to keep his place even though the senior spinner joined Virat and Rohit in ending his T20I career.
Selectors to Decide Central Contract List Based on Player Performance
When the national selectors prepare the new contract list in the coming days, they will consider performances from October 2023 to September 2024. During this period, India had some of its best moments in white-ball cricket, including finishing as runners-up in the 2023 ODI World Cup and winning the 2024 T20 World Cup. The top performers from these tournaments and the home Test series win against England are expected to be rewarded.
“That’s the base of the next round of contracts,” a BCCI official said. “There will be a move to advance the next review by six months because there’s so much more that has transpired by the time the review is conducted that people base their judgements on that.”
After winning the T20 World Cup, India faced a tough time in Test cricket. They were whitewashed for the first time at home in a three-match Test series by New Zealand. Then, they lost the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Australia and also missed out on the World Test Championship title. However, the Champions Trophy win a couple of weeks ago has brought some much-needed joy.
The performances in the ongoing season will play a big role when the 2025-26 contracts are decided in October. There could be significant changes in the contract list based on these performances. To make it to the ₹7 crore A+ list, being an all-format player will be a key factor. Apart from the three major T20I retirements, off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin had also announced his retirement from all formats of international cricket last December.
Shreyas Iyer Expected to Reclaim BCCI Central Contract
Shreyas Iyer is likely to get his central contract back because of his strong performance in the 2023 ODI World Cup. He was earlier in the B category for the 2022-23 season but lost his contract after some issues with the BCCI over his domestic cricket commitments.
“He played in the entire domestic season, and that’s all that was expected of him. He also picked up form during these matches that helped him in the Champions Trophy,” the board official said.
Ishan Kishan, who was a squad regular across formats for India, when he was dropped for missing domestic cricket, could be back too. Also, Mohammed Shami could miss out on the contract list as he missed all the action, nursing injuries.
Hardik Pandya might keep his contract because of his important role in India’s T20 World Cup win. Players who play at least three Tests, eight ODIs, or ten T20Is automatically qualify for the ₹1 crore Grade C contract. Dhruv Jurel and Sarfaraz Khan are likely to get contracts, while Yashasvi Jaiswal could be promoted from Grade B.
