The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is likely to make changes to its central contract for the 2025-26 season. The Indian cricket board reportedly decided to remove the top A+ category because there are not enough players who meet the criteria anymore.
BCCI central contract for 2024–25 season
In the 2024–25 season, four players, Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Jasprit Bumrah and Ravindra Jadeja were in the A+ category, which pays ₹7 crore per year. To be in this category, a player must play all three formats and also be ranked in the top 10 in at least one format.
Now, things have changed. Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli are playing only one format, and Jadeja has retired from T20Is. That leaves Jasprit Bumrah as the only player who fits the criteria, so the board has decided to remove the A+ category completely.
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Jasprit Bumrah suffers a loss
Because of this, Bumrah and Jadeja have been moved down to Grade A, where players usually earn ₹5 crore a year. However, there are talks that Bumrah may be compensated for the ₹2 crore difference, as he has been performing consistently across formats. The board reportedly wants to make sure that top performers do not end up earning less than before.
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BCCI is working on a way to adjust Bumrah’s pay
A BCCI source said they are working on a way to adjust Bumrah’s pay so that it feels fair. There are also a few other players who have been moved to lower grades despite good performances, so the board might review the overall contract values.
Axar Patel’s case has also raised questions. Even though he is an important player in India’s white-ball teams and seemed to meet the earlier criteria for a higher grade, he has been placed in Grade C, where the pay is ₹1 crore. It is not clear if the selection rules have been changed.
BCCI's recent central contracts
For the 2025–26 season, the BCCI has given central contracts to 30 players. Out of these, only three, Shubman Gill, Bumrah and Jadeja are in Grade A. Eleven players are in Grade B, and the rest are in Grade C.Notably, the board has not yet shared the exact salary details for each category in the new contracts.