The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is set to release the central contract list for the men's team soon. Last year, this list was unveiled on February 28, but this year has seen some delays. Reports suggest that middle-order batsman Shreyas Iyer may once again earn a central contract due to his stellar performances. Notably, both Shreyas Iyer and Ishan Kishan were excluded from last year's list due to their inconsistent domestic cricket participation. The situation for Ishan Kishan remains unclear as he has been away from international cricket for some time.
What are the Rules for the Central Contract?
The BCCI's central contract operates as an annual retainer system, classifying and rewarding cricketers based on their contributions and performances in Indian cricket. According to BCCI regulations, players qualify for a central contract if they have participated in at least 3 Test matches, 8 ODIs, or 10 T20 matches in a season. Meeting these criteria makes them eligible for the retainer.
The contract list features four categories. Category A+ offers 7 crores INR, Category A provides 5, Category B grants 3, and Category C awards 1 crore INR annually. There are specific criteria for each category. A+ includes players engaged in all formats (Test, ODI, and T20).
Currently, Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Ravindra Jadeja, and Jasprit Bumrah are in the A+ category. However, with Rohit, Kohli, and Jadeja having retired from T20 Internationals last year, it's uncertain if they will remain in the A+ category this year. Sources suggest that Bumrah, along with these three, will be retained in the A+ grade. Kohli, Rohit, and Jadeja played pivotal roles in India's triumphant campaign at the Champions Trophy 2025.
Source: aajtak
Benefits for Contracted Players
The welfare of players under the central contract is a priority for BCCI. For instance, any centrally contracted player can recover at the BCCI's Center of Excellence in Bangalore for free, where they have access to world-class training facilities and travel allowances.
Last year, 30 players received central contracts. Later, Sarfaraz Khan and Dhruv Jurel were added to this list. Furthermore, the BCCI awarded fast bowling contracts to bowlers like Akash Deep, Yash Dayal, Umran Malik, Vijaykumar Vyshak, and Vidwath Kaverappa.
Annual Earnings for Central Contract Players
Grade A+- 7 crores INR annually Grade A- 5 crores INR annually Grade B- 3 crores INR annually Grade C- 1 crore INR annually
BCCI Central Contract Players List (2023-2024)
Grade A+
Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Jasprit Bumrah, and Ravindra Jadeja.
Grade A
R Ashwin, Mohammed Shami, Mohammed Siraj, KL Rahul, Shubman Gill, and Hardik Pandya.
Grade B
Suryakumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant, Kuldeep Yadav, Axar Patel, and Yashasvi Jaiswal.
Grade C
Rinku Singh, Tilak Varma, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Shardul Thakur, Shivam Dube, Ravi Bishnoi, Jitesh Sharma, Washington Sundar, Mukesh Kumar, Sanju Samson, Arshdeep Singh, KS Bharat, Prasidh Krishna, Avesh Khan, Rajat Patidar, Sarfaraz Khan, and Dhruv Jurel.
