New Delhi: The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has announced the Annual Player Contracts for Team India Senior Men and Senior Women for the 2025–26 season, covering the period from October 1, 2025 to September 30, 2026, with a major structural change drawing attention — the removal of the top-tier A+ category from the central contracts system.
The A+ grade, considered the gold standard of BCCI central contracts since its introduction in 2018, was reserved for India’s most consistent all-format performers, typically senior leaders and match-winners. In the 2024–25 cycle, Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Jasprit Bumrah and Ravindra Jadeja were part of this elite bracket. With the latest announcement, the board has discontinued this top slab and restructured contracts into only three categories — Grade A, Grade B and Grade C.
A+ category removed after seven years
The A+ category was introduced during the tenure of the Committee of Administrators (COA) and was reportedly created to reward cricketers who were automatic selections across all three formats — Tests, ODIs and T20Is. Over the years, only a handful of players qualified for this bracket due to the strict multi-format performance requirement.
According to reports, the decision to remove the A+ category is linked to the changing format commitments of senior players. With Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and Ravindra Jadeja no longer featuring regularly across all three formats, Jasprit Bumrah would have been the only cricketer fitting the earlier A+ criteria this cycle.
Selectors are also understood to be cautious about classifying current captain Shubman Gill as an all-format certainty after he was not part of a recent T20 World Cup squad combination, influencing the rethink on the top bracket.
New contract distribution across grades
Under the newly released list, a total of 30 men’s cricketers and 21 women’s cricketers have been awarded central contracts. In the men’s list, only three players have been placed in Grade A, while 11 feature in Grade B and 16 in Grade C.
Shubman Gill, Jasprit Bumrah and Ravindra Jadeja have been included in Grade A — now the highest active category after the A+ slab was removed. This indicates continued top-tier board backing for the trio based on their overall value and format contributions.
The BCCI statement did not specify the exact retainership amounts for each grade in the new cycle. In previous contract structures, the annual retainers were approximately:
- A+ — ₹7 crore
- Grade A — ₹5 crore
- Grade B — ₹3 crore
- Grade C — ₹1 crore
It remains unclear whether the Grade A retainership will now be revised upward following the removal of A+, especially in the case of players like Bumrah who continue to be automatic picks across formats.
Axar Patel’s placement raises eyebrows
One of the talking points in the latest contract list is the placement of senior all-rounder Axar Patel in Grade C. Axar has been a regular contributor in ODIs and T20Is and has also been part of the Test squad rotation, making his placement alongside more format-specific players a subject of discussion among observers.
While the BCCI has not publicly detailed the grading criteria used this season, contracts are typically decided based on a mix of factors including match appearances, format priority, performance impact, and future team plans.
The expanded Grade C list suggests a broader base of players being retained within the central system, possibly to ensure squad depth across formats and tours.
Women’s contracts also announced
Alongside the men’s contracts, the BCCI also released the central contract list for 21 women cricketers for the same 2025–26 period. The women’s contract system continues to run in parallel grade structures, reflecting the board’s continued investment in women’s cricket and squad stability.
Though individual grade details for women’s categories were not highlighted in the summary release, the simultaneous announcement signals administrative alignment in contract cycles across both senior teams.
Selection philosophy appears to be shifting
The removal of the A+ category signals a subtle but important shift in how the board views multi-format supremacy in the current cricket calendar. With increased workload management, format specialisation, and rotation policies, very few players now play all formats consistently through the year.
By eliminating the A+ slab, the board may be aligning its contract model with modern workload realities, where format specialisation is increasingly common and strategically encouraged.
It also gives selectors greater flexibility in rewarding core players without being bound by a rigid all-format qualification rule.
Conclusion
The BCCI’s decision to discontinue the A+ central contract category marks the end of a seven-year structure that symbolised all-format excellence in Indian cricket. With only three players now placed in Grade A and a larger pool spread across Grades B and C, the new contract list reflects evolving format priorities and squad planning strategies.
Further clarity on retainership amounts and grading benchmarks is expected to emerge, but the latest move clearly indicates a recalibration of how the board recognises and rewards elite performers in a changing cricket landscape.