The BCCI central contract list for 2025-26 is out, and it tells a clear story.
Shubman Gill now leads the top tier.
Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli have dropped a grade.
And Ishan Kishan is missing completely.
BCCI Contract List with Salary 2026
If you want to know exactly who made the cut, which grade they’re in, and what that means for their salary, this is the full breakdown.
What Is the BCCI Central Contract?
Every year, the BCCI gives its top players a central contract. This is a yearly retainer, separate from match fees. Players get paid based on their grade.
The grades for 2025-26 are:
- Grade A (highest)
- Grade B
- Grade C
There is no Grade A+ this season. That’s a change from previous years.
BCCI Central Contract Salary 2026: Grade-Wise Pay
Here’s what each grade pays annually:
| Grade | Annual Retainer |
|---|---|
| Grade A | ₹7 crore |
| Grade B | ₹5 crore |
| Grade C | ₹1 crore |
These are retainer fees only. Match fees are paid on top of this for every game played.
Full BCCI Contract List with Salary 2026
Grade A Players (₹7 Crore)
| Player | Role | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Shubman Gill | Batter | A |
| Jasprit Bumrah | Pacer | A |
| Ravindra Jadeja | All-rounder | A |
Only three players in Grade A this year. No Grade A+ exists in the 2025-26 structure.
Grade B Players (₹5 Crore)
| Player | Role |
|---|---|
| Rohit Sharma | Batter (Captain) |
| Virat Kohli | Batter |
| KL Rahul | Batter / WK |
| Hardik Pandya | All-rounder |
| Rishabh Pant | Wicket-keeper |
| Yashasvi Jaiswal | Batter |
| Suryakumar Yadav | Batter |
| Mohammed Siraj | Pacer |
| Kuldeep Yadav | Spinner |
| Washington Sundar | All-rounder |
| Shreyas Iyer | Batter |
Grade C Players (₹1 Crore)
| Player | Role |
|---|---|
| Axar Patel | All-rounder |
| Tilak Varma | Batter |
| Rinku Singh | Batter |
| Shivam Dube | All-rounder |
| Sanju Samson | Wicket-keeper |
| Arshdeep Singh | Pacer |
| Prasidh Krishna | Pacer |
| Akash Deep | Pacer |
| Dhruv Jurel | Wicket-keeper |
| Harshit Rana | Pacer |
| Varun Chakravarthy | Spinner |
| Nitish Kumar Reddy | All-rounder |
| Abhishek Sharma | Batter / Spinner |
| Sai Sudharsan | Batter |
| Ravi Bishnoi | Spinner |
| Ruturaj Gaikwad | Batter |
Why Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli Are in Grade B?
This is the biggest talking point in the 2025-26 contract list.
Both Rohit and Kohli have moved from the upper tiers to Grade B. The reason is straightforward.
The BCCI’s new contract structure gives Grade A to players who are active across all three formats.
Rohit and Kohli now play only ODIs at the international level.
That’s not a punishment. It’s a reflection of where they are in their careers.
Both still earn ₹5 crore as a retainer, plus full match fees for every game they play.
Why Shubman Gill Leads Grade A?
Gill’s rise to the top of the contract list isn’t a surprise if you’ve watched India over the past year.
He captains the side in multiple formats, plays across Tests, ODIs, and T20Is, and his consistency has been hard to ignore.
The Grade A tag signals that the BCCI sees him as a long-term leader, not just a reliable batter.
Bumrah and Jadeja are in the same bracket for different reasons. Bumrah is India’s best fast bowler across formats.
Jadeja is one of the few genuinely match-winning all-rounders the team has.
BCCI Contract 2026: Ishan Kishan Misses Out
Ishan Kishan is not in the 2025-26 list. He was expected by many to return after his absence from cricket last season, but the BCCI has not included him.
Other notable names missing from the contract list:
- Mohammed Shami (recovering from injury, no return date confirmed)
- Sarfaraz Khan (not retained despite Test performances)
- Rajat Patidar (missed the cut)
Shami’s absence is the most talked-about omission. He was a key part of India’s 2023 World Cup campaign.
His return to full fitness and form will likely determine whether he features in the next cycle.
BCCI Contract List with Salary 2026: Women’s Cricket
The BCCI also releases central contracts for the women’s team.
The women’s contract list for 2025-26 follows a similar grade structure, with players like Smriti Mandhana and Deepti Sharma among the names in the top tiers.
A dedicated breakdown of the BCCI contract list with salary 2026 women will be published separately.
FAQs
- Q1. What is the BCCI Grade A salary in 2026?
Grade A players earn ₹7 crore per year as a retainer. Match fees are paid separately on top of this.
- Q2. Why did Rohit Sharma drop to Grade B?
The BCCI’s top grade is reserved for players active across all formats. Rohit now plays only ODIs, which places him in Grade B.
- Q3. Is Virat Kohli still on a BCCI central contract?
Yes. Kohli is in Grade B, earning ₹5 crore annually as a retainer.
- Q4. Why is Ishan Kishan not in the BCCI contract list 2026?
Ishan Kishan was not included in the 2025-26 list. The BCCI has not given a public reason, but his limited appearances over the past year are the most likely factor.
- Q5. Is Mohammed Shami in the BCCI contract list 2026?
No. Shami is not in the 2025-26 contract list, likely due to his ongoing recovery from injury.
- Q6. Does the BCCI central contract include women players?
Yes. The BCCI releases a separate contract list for the women’s team with a similar grade structure.
Conclusion:
The 2025-26 BCCI contract list shows a team in transition.
Rohit and Virat are still here, still valued, but the top spot now belongs to a younger core led by Gill, Bumrah, and Jadeja.
For fans, the list is more than a pay chart.
It tells you who the BCCI is building around and who may be easing toward the end of their international run.
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