BCCI central contracts for 2025-26 season leaked! Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli demoted

BCCI scraped elite bracket, prioritising multi-format workload and current contributions over legacy.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has ushered in a new chapter in Indian cricket. The BCCI has finalised a significantly restructured central contracts list for the 2025–26 season. In a move that marks a clear shift from legacy-based recognition to present-day contributions, iconic figures Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma have been moved out of the top tier, with the elite A+ category being scrapped entirely.

According to reports by Abhishek Tripathi of Dainik Jargon, the BCCI has replaced the earlier four-tier structure with a streamlined three-group system — Group A, Group B and Group C. The most striking change is the removal of the prestigious A+ bracket, which previously carried an annual retainer of ₹7 crore and was reserved for all-format superstars.

As a result, Kohli and Rohit now find themselves placed in Group B, a decision rooted more in playing status than performance. Both Kohli and Rohit have stepped away from Test and T20I cricket, choosing to focus primarily on the ODI format. While their stature in Indian cricket remains unmatched, the BCCI’s latest framework places greater emphasis on workload, availability across formats and leadership roles.

Shubman Gill, Jasprit Bumrah and Ravindra Jadeja headline new Group A under BCCI’s revamped structure

The new Group A is now an exclusive club featuring just three players — Shubman Gill, Jasprit Bumrah and Ravindra Jadeja. Gill, who has taken over captaincy duties in Tests and ODIs, represents the future leadership core. Bumrah continues to be India’s most valuable all-format match-winner, while Jadeja has been present across the Test and ODI formats, secures his spot in the highest bracket.

Group B, meanwhile, features a strong mix of senior pros and format specialists, including Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Hardik Pandya, KL Rahul, Rishabh Pant, Suryakumar Yadav and Mohammed Siraj, among others. This tier reflects players who remain central to India’s plans but may not meet the multi-format threshold required for Group A.

Group C focuses on emerging talent and white-ball regulars such as Rinku Singh, Tilak Varma, Sanju Samson, Arshdeep Singh and Ruturaj Gaikwad, highlighting the BCCI’s intent to reward consistency and expand the talent pipeline.

The reshuffle, driven by the Ajit Agarkar-led selection committee, underlines a clear message: Indian cricket’s contract system will reward present impact, not past glory. While the demotion of Kohli and Rohit symbolises the end of an era, it also reflects a meritocratic transition aligned with modern international demands — one that firmly looks toward the future. Here’s the complete list of players under the BCCI contract for the 2025-26 season-

BCCI central contracts for 2025-26 season

• 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.

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