BCCI Drops Bombshell: Kohli and Rohit Demoted as India Unveils New Central Contracts 2025-26
The Board of Control for Cricket in India has dropped a bombshell by announcing the central contracts for the 2025-26 season, effective from October 1, 2025 to September 30, 2026. The most shocking development sees legendary cricketers Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma demoted to Grade B following their Test cricket retirement, while young captain Shubman Gill rises to the top tier.
Quick Contract Changes Overview
| Category | Major Changes |
|---|---|
| Men’s Top Grade | Shubman Gill promoted to Grade A (first time) |
| Notable Demotions | Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma down to Grade B |
| Women’s Promotion | Jemimah Rodrigues elevated to Grade A |
| Contract Period | October 1, 2025 – September 30, 2026 |
| Structure Change | Grade A+ eliminated, now 3-tier system |
| New Entrants (Men) | Sai Sudharsan gets maiden contract |
| New Entrants (Women) | 7 players receive first-time contracts |
The restructuring reflects BCCI’s bold approach to rewarding current performance while acknowledging reduced workloads of senior players. With the T20 World Cup 2026 currently underway, these contract decisions signal India’s future direction across all formats.
Why Kohli and Rohit Got Demoted
The demotion of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma from the top tier isn’t a punishment but a logical consequence of their Test cricket retirement in 2025. Both stalwarts now feature only in the 50-over format, reducing their overall workload and match commitments for India.
Impact of Test Retirement:
- Previously played across all three formats
- Now limited to ODI cricket only
- Reduced annual match participation
- Grade B reflects current involvement level
- Both remain crucial for ODI World Cup preparation
This decision shows BCCI’s commitment to merit-based contracts rather than reputation-based rewards. Players are graded according to their current availability and contribution across formats.
Shubman Gill’s Historic Promotion
India’s new Test and ODI captain Shubman Gill has earned a maiden promotion to Grade A, the highest tier in the restructured contract system. This promotion recognizes his leadership role and growing importance across formats.
Current Grade A Players (Men)
| Player Name | Role | Significance |
|---|---|---|
| Shubman Gill | Captain (Test & ODI) | New entrant to top grade |
| Jasprit Bumrah | Fast Bowler | Retained in Grade A |
| Ravindra Jadeja | All-rounder | Retained in Grade A |
Gill joins pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah and veteran all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja in the elite Grade A category. The BCCI has completely removed the Grade A+ category, simplifying the contract structure to just three tiers.
Complete Men’s Central Contracts 2025-26
Grade A (3 Players): Shubman Gill, Jasprit Bumrah, Ravindra Jadeja
Grade B (11 Players): Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul, Washington Sundar, Mohammed Siraj, Hardik Pandya, Rishabh Pant, Kuldeep Yadav, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Suryakumar Yadav, Shreyas Iyer
Grade C (16 Players): Axar Patel, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Tilak Verma, Rinku Singh, Shivam Dube, Sanju Samson, Arshdeep Singh, Prasidh Krishna, Akash Deep, Dhruv Jurel, Harshit Rana, Varun Chakaravarthy, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Abhishek Sharma, Sai Sudharsan, Ravi Bishnoi
The only new entrant in the men’s list is Sai Sudharsan, who receives his maiden central contract. Meanwhile, Mohammed Shami, Ishan Kishan, Sarfaraz Khan, Rajat Patidar, and Mukesh Kumar miss out on contracts this season.
Women’s Cricket Gets Major Boost
On the women’s side, the contracts reflect India’s triumphant campaign at the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2025. Jemimah Rodrigues earns a well-deserved promotion to Grade A after playing a key role in India’s title-winning campaign.
Grade A Women (4 Players): Harmanpreet Kaur, Smriti Mandhana, Jemimah Rodrigues, Deepti Sharma
Captain Harmanpreet Kaur, opener Smriti Mandhana, and all-rounder Deepti Sharma retain their positions in the top grade, now joined by the in-form Jemimah Rodrigues.
Women’s Complete Contract List
| Grade | Number of Players | Notable Names |
|---|---|---|
| Grade A | 4 | Harmanpreet, Smriti, Jemimah, Deepti |
| Grade B | 4 | Renuka Thakur, Sneh Rana, Shafali, Richa Ghosh |
| Grade C | 13 | Radha Yadav, 7 maiden contracts |
Sneh Rana sees a promotion from Grade C to Grade B, rewarding her consistent performances with both bat and ball. The most exciting development is the seven maiden central contracts awarded to promising young talents.
Fresh Faces in Women’s Contracts
These seven players receive their first-ever BCCI central contracts:
- Pratika Rawal
- Kranti Gaud
- Sree Charani
- Kashvee Gautam
- G Kamalini
- Vaishnavi Sharma
- Tejal Hasabnis
Additionally, Harleen Deol gets slotted into Grade C. However, Shreyanka Patil, Pooja Vastrakar, and Titas Sadhu are notable absentees from this year’s contract list.
Structural Reforms in Contract System
The BCCI has implemented significant structural changes to create parity between men’s and women’s contracts:
Previous System (Men): 4 tiers – Grade A+, A, B, C
New System (Men): 3 tiers – Grade A, B, C (aligned with women’s structure)
This alignment demonstrates BCCI’s commitment to treating both men’s and women’s cricket with equal importance in terms of contract framework. The removal of Grade A+ simplifies the system while maintaining clear performance-based distinctions.
Notable Exclusions from Men’s Contracts
Several prominent names miss out on central contracts for 2025-26:
Players Without Contracts:
- Mohammed Shami – Veteran pacer dealing with injuries
- Ishan Kishan – Young wicketkeeper-batsman
- Sarfaraz Khan – Middle-order batsman
- Rajat Patidar – Middle-order batsman
- Mukesh Kumar – Fast bowler
These exclusions don’t necessarily mean the end of international careers, but players will need strong domestic performances and IPL showings to force their way back into contention.
Impact on India’s Future Plans
These contracts provide clear insight into India’s planning for upcoming tournaments. With several players competing in the T20 World Cup 2026, the BCCI is balancing current form, future potential, and format-specific availability.
The contracts also influence India’s preparation for bilateral series and ICC events on the upcoming cricket schedule. Players with central contracts receive monthly retainers and priority selection for national duty.
What This Means for Players
Central contracts provide financial security and recognition. Grade A players receive the highest retainers, followed by Grade B and C. The monthly payments ensure cricketers can focus solely on international duty without financial concerns.
Beyond money, contracts signal BCCI’s confidence in a player’s abilities and future role in Indian cricket. Being dropped from contracts often serves as a wake-up call, while maiden contracts validate emerging talents.
Looking Ahead
As India continues its campaign across formats, these contract decisions will shape team composition and strategy. Young captain Shubman Gill’s Grade A status empowers his leadership, while Kohli and Rohit’s Grade B placement reflects their specialized ODI roles.
For the latest updates on Indian cricket and T20 World Cup 2026 developments, these contracts provide a roadmap of BCCI’s priorities and India’s cricketing future.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why were Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma demoted to Grade B?
Both players retired from Test cricket in 2025 and now feature only in ODI format, reducing their overall workload and match commitments, which justifies the Grade B placement.
Who got promoted to Grade A in men’s contracts?
Shubman Gill earned his maiden promotion to Grade A, joining Jasprit Bumrah and Ravindra Jadeja in the top tier as India’s new Test and ODI captain.
What structural changes did BCCI make to central contracts?
BCCI eliminated the Grade A+ category, reducing men’s contracts from a 4-tier to a 3-tier system, aligning it with the women’s contract structure.
Which women cricketers got promoted in the new contracts?
Jemimah Rodrigues was promoted to Grade A after her stellar performance in India’s World Cup 2025 title win, while Sneh Rana moved from Grade C to Grade B.
How many players received maiden central contracts?
Sai Sudharsan received his first men’s contract, while seven women players (Pratika Rawal, Kranti Gaud, Sree Charani, Kashvee Gautam, G Kamalini, Vaishnavi Sharma, Tejal Hasabnis) got maiden contracts.
Which prominent players missed out on contracts this year?
Mohammed Shami, Ishan Kishan, Sarfaraz Khan, Rajat Patidar, and Mukesh Kumar from men’s side, while Shreyanka Patil, Pooja Vastrakar, and Titas Sadhu missed out from women’s contracts.
