BCCI Central Contracts 2024-25: Key Player Retentions

BCCI central contract list for the 2024–25 season retains Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli in the top-tier A+ category, despite their T20I retirement last year. Jasprit Bumrah and Ravindra Jadeja are joining them in the elite bracket. The Board of Control for Cricket in India announced the new list on April 21, which includes 34 players across four categories.

Pant Promoted, Big Names in Grade A

Rishabh Pant, who made a comeback to international cricket, has earned a promotion to Grade A. He joins KL Rahul, Shubman Gill, Mohammed Siraj, Hardik Pandya, and Mohammed Shami in the second tier. Each player in this group will receive ₹5 crore annually.

Shreyas Iyer, Ishan Kishan Reinstated

Shreyas Iyer and Ishan Kishan, who were left out of last season’s contracts due to skipping domestic duties, have made their way back. Iyer returns in Grade B alongside Suryakumar Yadav, Kuldeep Yadav, Axar Patel, and Yashasvi Jaiswal. Kishan, however, features in Grade C, which has the most inclusions.

Young Faces Earn Maiden Contracts

Four uncapped or recently capped players—Nitish Kumar Reddy, Harshit Rana, Abhishek Sharma, and Varun Chakaravarthy—have received their first BCCI central contracts. Chakaravarthy’s inclusion follows his standout performance in India’s Champions Trophy win.

Grade C Flooded with Fresh Talent

The Grade C list, which offers ₹1 crore annually, includes 19 players. Notably, this group features names such as Rinku Singh, Tilak Varma, and Ruturaj Gaikwad. Sanju Samson, Arshdeep Singh, and Dhruv Jurel also feature, underscoring BCCI’s push to strengthen depth across formats.

Contract Grades and Salaries

• In Grade A+, which carries an annual salary of ₹7 crore, the board has retained senior players Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Jasprit Bumrah, and Ravindra Jadeja—recognizing their consistent impact across formats.
• Grade A, worth ₹5 crore annually, includes a strong core of six players: KL Rahul, Shubman Gill, Mohammed Siraj, Hardik Pandya, Mohammed Shami, and the newly promoted Rishabh Pant.
• Grade B, offering ₹3 crore, features dynamic performers such as Suryakumar Yadav, Kuldeep Yadav, Axar Patel, Yashasvi Jaiswal, and a returning Shreyas Iyer.
• Finally, in Grade C, which pays ₹1 crore, the list expands to 19 players. This category includes promising names like Rinku Singh, Tilak Varma, Ruturaj Gaikwad, and Shivam Dube. In addition, Ravi Bishnoi, Washington Sundar, Sanju Samson, and Ishan Kishan also make the cut, alongside several other rising stars.