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The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is expected to unveil its central contract list in the coming days.
Reports suggest that a crucial meeting is scheduled for Saturday, with BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia and newly appointed India head coach Gautam Gambhir in attendance.
All eyes will be on major names like Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, and Ravindra Jadeja—who now feature in only two formats after retiring from T20 internationals following India’s 2024 T20 World Cup triumph.
Elite Players Retain Top Category Status
According to a media report, India’s ODI and Test captain Rohit Sharma, star batsman Virat Kohli, and all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja will continue to hold their place in the A+ category—the highest tier in the BCCI’s central contracts.
The trio, along with pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah, are set to be retained in this category, which carries a retainership fee of Rs 7 crore annually.
Shreyas Iyer’s Redemption, Ishan Kishan’s Uncertain Future
One of the biggest talking points surrounding the upcoming announcement is the return of Shreyas Iyer to the central contracts list.
Iyer was dropped for the 2023-24 season due to his absence from domestic cricket but has since made a strong comeback.
As India’s top scorer in the 2025 Champions Trophy and now captaining Punjab Kings in the IPL, Iyer’s resurgence has been hard to ignore.
“Shreyas is set to regain his contract, and it will be in a top category. However, discussions are still ongoing on whether in Ishan’s case,” the report quoted a source as saying.
Unlike Iyer, wicketkeeper-batsman Ishan Kishan remains on shaky ground. Having also been dropped last year, his contract status is still under deliberation.
Promotions and New Entrants
Left-arm spin all-rounder Axar Patel, India’s T20 vice-captain, is reportedly in line for a promotion from Grade B to Grade A.
Additionally, new faces like mystery spinner Varun Chakravarthy, all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Abhishek Sharma are expected to earn central contracts for the first time.
With an A+ category contract valued at Rs 7 crore, Grade A players receiving Rs 5 crore, Grade B at Rs 3 crore, and Grade C at Rs 1 crore, the stakes are high.
To secure a central contract, a player must participate in at least three Test matches, eight ODIs, or 10 T20Is within a calendar year.
Young talent Yashasvi Jaiswal is another player to watch, as his rapid rise across formats could see him move up from his current Grade B contract.
Additionally, Bengal pacer Akash Deep, who has featured in seven Test matches, and Sarfaraz Khan, with three Tests under his belt, are expected to be inducted into Grade C.
As the BCCI finalizes its contract list, the coming days will be crucial for several Indian cricketers awaiting their fate in the central contracts hierarchy.
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