BCCI Clarifies Central Contracts: Why Kohli, Rohit Expected in B Category for 2025-26

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is set to overhaul its central contract system for the 2025–26 season, a move that has led to senior players Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma being shifted out of the top contract bracket. According to a BCCI official, the change is part of an effort to simplify the structure by removing the existing top-tier category introduced in 2018.

Under the current framework, players are divided into four categories, with the highest tier earning Rs 7 crore annually. However, the upcoming contracts will feature only three categories — A, B, and C — streamlining the system. In the previous cycle, only Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Jasprit Bumrah, and Ravindra Jadeja were placed in the highest bracket.

The official clarified that the revised structure is based primarily on format participation rather than stature. At present, Bumrah is the only one among the four who plays across all formats. Kohli and Rohit now feature exclusively in One-Day Internationals, while Jadeja plays Tests and ODIs after retiring from T20 Internationals. As a result, Kohli and Rohit are expected to be placed in Category B.

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The BCCI emphasised that there would be no pay cut for Bumrah or other players retained in the top category. Bumrah, described as the leader of India’s pace attack across formats, will continue in Category A despite workload-related absences. India’s Test and ODI captain, Shubman Gill, is also expected to feature in the highest bracket.

A BCCI official said the restructuring reflects the reality that very few players now represent India in all formats. The board believes the revised model better aligns compensation with workload and availability while ensuring fairness across the squad.

The contracts are expected to be ratified at the next Apex Council meeting. The A-plus category being phased out was originally introduced in 2018 during the tenure of the Supreme Court-appointed Committee of Administrators, marking the end of a structure that had remained in place for nearly seven years.

Also Read: BCCI Proposes Central Contracts Overhaul: A+ Category Dropped, Kohli & Rohit Eyed for Grade B