The Board of Control for Cricket in India has reportedly introduced a major restructuring of its annual retainership list, signalling a shift towards rewarding active multi-format players over legacy names. Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma have been moved to Group B, while the elite A+ category has been removed entirely under the new structure, BCCI central contracts 2025-26
A+ Category Scrapped in Major Contract Overhaul
The latest reshuffle marks the end of an era in Indian cricket’s contract system. The A+ category, once reserved for India’s biggest superstars, no longer exists as the board moves to a streamlined three-tier structure—Group A, Group B, and Group C. The change reflects the BCCI’s growing emphasis on workload, availability, and multi-format participation rather than past achievements in BCCI central contracts 2025-26.
Kohli and Rohit Shifted to Group B
Kohli and Rohit’s movement to Group B does not reflect a loss of stature but rather their current playing status. Both senior batters have stepped away from T20Is and Test cricket, focusing mainly on the ODI format. As a result, they no longer qualify for the top tier, which prioritises players contributing across formats or leading the national side in BCCI central contracts 2025-26.
Group A Led by Gill, Bumrah, and Jadeja
Group A now features Shubman Gill, Jasprit Bumrah, and Ravindra Jadeja. Gill currently leads India in Tests and ODIs, Bumrah remains the pace spearhead, and Jadeja continues to be a crucial all-rounder. Their inclusion highlights the BCCI’s intention to build a new leadership core for upcoming cycles under BCCI central contracts 2025-26.
Complete Contract Groups
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.
Merit-Based System for Modern Cricket
The Ajit Agarkar-led selection committee has reportedly aligned financial incentives with modern cricket demands. Removing the Rs 7 crore A+ bracket underlines a merit-based system that rewards match involvement and workload. This reshuffle also signals a generational transition in Indian cricket under BCCI central contracts 2025-26
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FAQs
Q: What are BCCI central contracts 2025-26?
A: They are annual retainership contracts offered by the BCCI to Indian players based on performance and availability.
Q: Why were Kohli and Rohit moved in BCCI central contracts 2025-26?
A: Both players stepped away from T20Is and Tests, which affected their eligibility for the top contract tier.
Q: Who is in Group A in BCCI central contracts 2025-26?
A: Shubman Gill, Jasprit Bumrah, and Ravindra Jadeja are in Group A.
Q: Why did BCCI remove the A+ category?
A: The board wanted to reward multi-format availability and workload rather than historical status.
