The BCCI has announced the annual player contracts for India’s senior men’s and women’s teams for the 2025-26 season.
The most striking aspect of this list is that Indian cricket legends Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma have been placed in Grade B. Both players were in Grade A+ last season.
These new contracts will be effective from October 1, 2025, to September 30, 2026. The BCCI uses these contracts to grade players based on their performance, importance to the team, and consistency.
Simply put, the higher the grade, the more important the player is considered.
Why Kohli and Rohit’s removal from Grade A is significant
Interestingly, Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma have retired from T20 and Test cricket in recent years, but still remain key members of the ODI team. Despite this, their demotion from Grade A to Grade B is quite telling.
Previously, Grade A+ included only four names: Virat, Rohit, Jasprit Bumrah, and Ravindra Jadeja. Now, the new list for the men’s team’s Grade A includes Shubman Gill, Jasprit Bumrah, and Ravindra Jadeja. This clearly indicates that the BCCI’s focus in the coming years will be on young and consistent players.
According to the BCCI, “These contracts run from October 1, 2025, to September 30, 2026, and are a way for the board to reward players based on performance, importance to the team, and consistency.”
Shubman Gill is seen as the future leading batsman for Team India, while Bumrah remains India’s most reliable fast bowler.
Grades also decided for the Women’s Team, new names get a chance
In the women’s team, Harmanpreet Kaur, Smriti Mandhana, Jemimah Rodrigues, and Deepti Sharma have been placed in Grade A. These players have long been considered the backbone of the team and have consistently performed well in major tournaments. The men’s team’s Grade B includes names like Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, along with KL Rahul, Hardik Pandya, Rishabh Pant, Mohammed Siraj, Suryakumar Yadav, Shreyas Iyer, and Yashasvi Jaiswal.
Meanwhile, Grade C features several emerging players, clearly indicating that the BCCI is gradually preparing the next generation of cricketers.
The women’s team’s Grade B and Grade C also include many new and young players who could play a significant role for Team India in the future.
This decision signals a shift and a new approach in Indian cricket, where both experience and the future are being given equal importance.
