BCCI Annual Contracts 2025: The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has unveiled its central contracts for the 2025–26 season, just weeks ahead of the highly anticipated five-match Test series against England. The announcement comes on the heels of a triumphant white-ball run, but red-ball concerns continue to linger.

Red-Ball Woes Amid White-Ball Glory

India may have celebrated a Champions Trophy triumph earlier this year, but the wounds from a 3-1 defeat in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy still sting. The loss not only denied India a spot in the World Test Championship final but also exposed cracks in their red-ball dominance.

Captain Rohit Sharma, though instrumental in the Champions Trophy win, came under fire for his Test form and was even dropped for the final Test in Australia. With a fresh WTC cycle beginning in June against England, the new contract list offers clear signals about the team’s direction.

The BCCI Annual Contracts 2025: A Shift in Power

A total of 34 players have been awarded central contracts across four categories—Grade A+, A, B, and C. The selections indicate a balanced mix of established giants and fresh talent aiming to leave their mark.

Grade A+ (₹7 crore)

The elite club remains unchanged, comprising India’s all-format mainstays:

• Rohit Sharma

• Virat Kohli

• Ravindra Jadeja

• Jasprit Bumrah

Grade A (₹5 crore)

India’s reliable core continues in this tier:

• KL Rahul

• Shubman Gill

• Mohammed Siraj

• Hardik Pandya

• Rishabh Pant

• Mohammed Shami

Grade B (₹3 crore)

This category includes rising stars and proven match-winners:

• Shreyas Iyer (makes a strong return)

• Suryakumar Yadav

• Kuldeep Yadav

• Axar Patel

• Yashasvi Jaiswal

Grade C (₹1 crore)

An exciting mix of youth and comeback players:

• Ishan Kishan

• Rinku Singh

• Tilak Varma

• Ruturaj Gaikwad

• Shivam Dube

• Ravi Bishnoi

• Sanju Samson

• Mukesh Kumar

• Varun Chakaravarthy

• Nitish Kumar Reddy (New)

• Sarfaraz Khan (New)

• Dhruv Jurel (New)

• Abhishek Sharma (New)

• Akash Deep (New)

• Harshit Rana (New)

Notable Omissions

The BCCI has also made some tough calls. Players like Shardul Thakur, Avesh Khan, KS Bharat, and Jitesh Sharma find themselves out of the contract list, raising questions about their long-term future in national colors.

A New Era Begins

These contracts are more than financial commitments—they’re statements of belief. The BCCI has placed its faith in youth, while still leaning on experience to steer the ship. With England on the horizon and a new WTC cycle underway, the road ahead looks challenging—but undeniably thrilling.

Whether it’s the resurgence of Shreyas Iyer, the long-awaited contracts for Sarfaraz Khan and Dhruv Jurel, or the return of Ishan Kishan, the 2025–26 contract list sets the tone for what could be a defining year in Indian cricket.

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