List of all players who missed out on BCCI contracts in 2026 season but were there last season
BCCI contracts for 2025-26 season saw massive changes with top one being permanent removal of A+ grade.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) recently unveiled the central contracts for the men’s and women’s teams for the 2025-26 season (October 1, 2025, to September 30, 2026).
Announced on February 9, 2026, the list features significant shifts, including the removal of the Grade A+ category to streamline the structure into three tiers (A, B, and C), aligning it more closely with the women’s system.
In the men’s category, Shubman Gill earned a promotion to Grade A as India’s new Test and ODI captain, joining Jasprit Bumrah and Ravindra Jadeja. Veterans Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, having retired from Test cricket and now focusing solely on ODIs, dropped to Grade B. The only new entrant is Sai Sudharsan, while the overall list was trimmed to 30 players from the previous 34.
List of Players snubbed by BCCI in annual contracts for the 2026 season
Despite several promotions and demotions in the newly announced list, a few high-profile players who held central contracts in the 2024–25 season have been left out this time. Let’s take a look at them:
Ishan Kishan (Grade C last year)
The wicketkeeper-batter returned to the fold after earlier issues but played no international cricket in the preceding season. BCCI central contracts typically reward active international participation, making his lack of game time a clear disqualifier, even as he impressed in recent T20 matches for India leading to the 2026 World Cup.
Sarfaraz Khan (Grade C last year)
The middle-order batter, known for his prolific domestic form, missed out likely due to inconsistent recent performances in limited opportunities, including failure in the New Zealand test series. However, to be fair to Khan, he has been offered very few chances despite excellent domestic performances, and hence he has the right to be disappointed.
Mohammed Shami (Grade A last year)
The experienced pacer, a key performer in past World Cups, has not featured internationally since the 2025 Champions Trophy final. His absence from the Indian team setup in the recent period, despite domestic activity, is the probable reason for the snub.
Rajat Patidar (Grade C last year)
The aggressive middle-order batter and RCB leader had limited international exposure and underwhelming returns in his Test outings, leading to his exclusion amid stronger competition in the batting lineup.
Mukesh Kumar (Grade C last year)
The emerging pacer benefited from earlier contracts but saw reduced opportunities at the highest level, with selectors favouring other fast-bowling options like Arshdeep Singh and Harshit Rana in the current setup.
What major change did BCCI make to the 2025–26 contracts?
BCCI removed the Grade A+ category, restructuring contracts into Grades A, B, and C to simplify the system.
Why were players like Sarfaraz Khan and Mohammed Shami dropped?
Primarily due to limited recent international appearances and the BCCI’s emphasis on current involvement at the highest level.
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Aniruddh Seshadri Iyer is a passionate sports journalist at Khel Now, specializing in tennis and Olympic sports. An engineer by training, he found his storytelling passion through iconic Grand Slam and Olympic moments. Known for sharp analysis and insightful coverage, he draws inspiration from Novak Djokovic’s resilience. Outside journalism, he enjoys reading, traveling, and playing the guitar.