The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has announced the central contracts for the Indian men’s cricket team for the period between October 1, 2024, and September 30, 2025. These annual contracts are a way for the BCCI to retain players based on their performance, consistency, and value to the national team.
Here are the key details of the BCCI contracts for the 2024-25 season:
Contract Structure:
The BCCI central contracts are divided into four grades with the following annual retainership amounts:
* Grade A+: ₹7 crore
* Grade A: ₹5 crore
* Grade B: ₹3 crore
* Grade C: ₹1 crore
Players in Each Grade:
Grade A+: Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Jasprit Bumrah, Ravindra Jadeja. These are players who are consistent performers across all formats of the game.
Grade A: Mohammed Siraj, KL Rahul, Shubman Gill, Hardik Pandya, Mohammed Shami, Rishabh Pant. This grade includes players who are key contributors in Tests and participate regularly in other formats. Rishabh Pant has been promoted to this grade.
Grade B: Suryakumar Yadav, Kuldeep Yadav, Axar Patel, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shreyas Iyer. This category generally includes players who are regulars in white-ball formats or consistent performers in specific formats. Shreyas Iyer has returned to this grade.
Grade C: Rinku Singh, Tilak Verma, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Shivam Dube, Ravi Bishnoi, Washington Sundar, Mukesh Kumar, Sanju Samson, Arshdeep Singh, Prasidh Krishna, Rajat Patidar, Dhruv Jurel, Sarfaraz Khan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Ishan Kishan, Abhishek Sharma, Akash Deep, Varun Chakaravarthy, Harshit Rana. This grade comprises players who are either new to international cricket or are making their mark. Ishan Kishan has also returned to this grade.
Key Points:
* A total of 34 players have been awarded central contracts for the 2024-25 season.
* Shreyas Iyer and Ishan Kishan have been included in the contract list again after missing out in the previous cycle.
* Rishabh Pant has been promoted from Grade B to Grade A.
* New entrants to the central contract list include Abhishek Sharma, Akash Deep, Varun Chakaravarthy, Harshit Rana, and Nitish Kumar Reddy, all in Grade C.
Five players have been excluded from the previous contract list: Jitesh Sharma, Shardul Thakur, KS Bharat, Avesh Khan, and Ravichandran Ashwin (who retired).
These contracts are valid from October 1, 2024, to September 30, 2025. In addition to the annual retainership, contracted players also receive match fees, bonuses, and access to medical and insurance coverage from the BCCI, as well as the facilities at the National Cricket Academy (NCA).
The BCCI’s central contracts aim to provide financial security and recognize the contributions of Indian cricketers to the national team. The grading system reflects the board’s assessment of a player’s current standing and their expected role in the team across different formats of the game.
