The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on Monday, April 21, released its much-anticipated list of centrally contracted players for the 2025–26 season. As expected, stalwarts Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Ravindra Jadeja, and Jasprit Bumrah continue to feature in the elite Grade A+ category, highlighting their unwavering value across formats. A significant development this year is the return of Ishan Kishan and Shreyas Iyer, both of whom had been excluded last season due to non-compliance with domestic cricket commitments.
Their return to the contract list signals the board’s approval of their improved discipline and participation in the domestic circuit. In total, 34 players have earned BCCI contracts this season. While most familiar names have been retained, three players have been rewarded with their first-ever central contracts. Abhishek Sharma, a regular at the top of the order in T20Is, finds a deserved spot.
Joining him are rising stars Nitish Kumar Reddy, who impressed in both T20Is and Tests in late 2025, and fiery pacer Harshit Rana, who has been making waves with his aggressive style and consistent pace. Among the notable upgrades, Rishabh Pant’s promotion from Grade B to Grade A stands out.
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The wicketkeeper-batter was instrumental in India’s T20 World Cup 2024 and Champions Trophy 2025 triumphs, and his all-format consistency has finally earned him a place among the elite. On the other hand, Ravichandran Ashwin, having retired from international cricket, exits the list, as expected.
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BCCI announces annual player retainership 2024-25 – Team India (Senior Men)#TeamIndia
Details 🔽https://t.co/lMjl2Ici3P pic.twitter.com/CsJHaLSeho
— BCCI (@BCCI) April 21, 2025
Mohammed Siraj, despite losing his ODI spot before the Champions Trophy, has retained his Grade A status, a reflection of his continued impact in red-ball cricket. In Grade B, Shreyas Iyer joins Yashasvi Jaiswal, who continues his upward journey after last year’s promotion from Grade C. Akash Deep, who debuted during the England series and later toured Australia, also secures his first senior contract.
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However, the axe has fallen on a few players. KS Bharat, Avesh Khan, Shardul Thakur, and Jitesh Sharma—all part of Grade C last season—find themselves out of favour this time. Meanwhile, Sarfaraz Khan, having met the minimum criteria through his red-ball contributions, earns a debut contract in Grade C.
A surprise inclusion is Varun Chakravarthy, the Champions Trophy hero, making a comeback after a previously underwhelming contract term.
Grade A+ (4 players) – INR 7 crore per year
| S. No. | Player Name |
| 1 | Rohit Sharma |
| 2 | Virat Kohli |
| 3 | Ravindra Jadeja |
| 4 | Jasprit Bumrah |
Grade A (6 players) – INR 5 crore per year
| S. No. | Player Name |
| 1 | Mohammed Siraj |
| 2 | KL Rahul |
| 3 | Shubman Gill |
| 4 | Hardik Pandya |
| 5 | Mohammed Shami |
| 6 | Rishabh Pant |
Grade B (5 players) – INR 3 crore
| S. No. | Player Name |
| 1 | Suryakumar Yadav |
| 2 | Kuldeep Yadav |
| 3 | Axar Patel |
| 4 | Yashasvi Jaiswal |
| 5 | Shreyas Iyer |
Grade C (19 players) – INR 1 crore per year
| S. No. | Player Name |
| 1 | Arshdeep Singh |
| 2 | Rinku Singh |
| 3 | Tilak Varma |
| 4 | Ruturaj Gaikwad |
| 5 | Shivam Dube |
| 6 | Ravi Bishnoi |
| 7 | Washington Sundar |
| 8 | Mukesh Kumar |
| 9 | Sanju Samson |
| 10 | Prasidh Krishna |
| 11 | Rajat Patidar |
| 12 | Dhruv Jurel |
| 13 | Sarfaraz Khan |
| 14 | Nitish Kumar Reddy |
| 15 | Ishan Kishan |
| 16 | Abhishek Sharma |
| 17 | Akash Deep |
| 18 | Varun Chakravarthy |
| 19 | Harshit Rana |
