BCCI Revamps Central Contracts for 2025-26 The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has introduced a major overhaul of its central contracts for the 2025-26 season. The legendary Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma have been demoted to Group B, reflecting their current playing status and focus on ODIs. The previous elite A+ category has been removed, emphasizing current contribution over historical stature.

New Three-Tier Structure

The new system now includes Group A, B, and C, with Group A reserved for players pivotal across formats. This exclusive bracket features Shubman Gill, Jasprit Bumrah, and Ravindra Jadeja, highlighting the BCCI’s shift towards rewarding multi-format availability.

Group-wise Contract List

Group A: Shubman Gill, Jasprit Bumrah, Ravindra Jadeja

Group B: Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Washington Sundar, KL Rahul, Hardik Pandya, Mohammed Siraj, Rishabh Pant, Kuldeep Yadav, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shreyas Iyer

Group C: Axar Patel, Tilak Varma, Rinku Singh, Shivam Dube, Sanju Samson, Arshdeep Singh, Prasidh Krishna, Akash Deep, Dhruv Jurel, Harshit Rana, Varun Chakravarthy, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Abhishek Sharma, Sai Sudharsan, Ravi Bishnoi, Ruturaj Gaikwad

Implications of the Demotion

The demotion of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma signals a transition towards the next generation. With both legends stepping away from T20Is and Tests, their primary contribution in ODIs did not justify the former top-tier salary. This merit-based approach aligns pay with active performance while maintaining respect for players’ achievements.

Future Outlook

The revamped BCCI contracts ensure that young talent receives recognition while veteran players like Kohli and Rohit Sharma remain valued for their current contributions. This strategic shift reinforces meritocracy in Indian cricket.