The Board of Control for Cricket in India officially announced the BCCI Annual Player Retainership 2025-26 on February 9, 2026.
The contracts cover both men’s and women’s cricketers for the upcoming season.
This year’s announcement carries significant weight as the BCCI has restructured its contract framework.
The changes reflect evolving priorities in player management and format-specific availability.
The contracts determine financial security and recognition for India’s top cricketers.
BCCI Annual Player Retainership 2025-26
They also signal the board’s strategic direction for international cricket across all three formats.
Also Check: Indian Cricket Players Salaries
BCCI Annual Retainership Contracts for Men’s Players
The BCCI has finalized contracts for 30 male cricketers under the BCCI Annual Player Retainership 2025-26 framework, distributed across three performance tiers.
- Total number of players included: 30 men’s cricketers have secured central contracts for the 2025-26 season across all three grades.
- Contract classification system: The contracts feature three grades—Grade A with 3 players, Grade B with 11 players, and Grade C with 16 players.
- Key differences compared to the previous cycle: The A+ category has been eliminated, marking the most significant structural change from the 2024-25 contracts.
| Player Name | Grade |
|---|---|
| Shubman Gill | A |
| Jasprit Bumrah | A |
| Ravindra Jadeja | A |
| Washington Sundar | B |
| Rohit Sharma | B |
| Virat Kohli | B |
| KL Rahul | B |
| Mohammed Siraj | B |
| Hardik Pandya | B |
| Rishabh Pant | B |
| Kuldeep Yadav | B |
| Yashasvi Jaiswal | B |
| Suryakumar Yadav | B |
| Shreyas Iyer | B |
| Axar Patel | C |
| Tilak Varma | C |
| Rinku Singh | C |
| Shivam Dube | C |
| Sanju Samson | C |
| Arshdeep Singh | C |
| Prasidh Krishna | C |
| Akash Deep | C |
| Dhruv Jurel | C |
| Harshit Rana | C |
| Varun Chakaravarthy | C |
| Nitish Kumar Reddy | C |
| Abhishek Sharma | C |
| Sai Sudharsan | C |
| Ravi Bishnoi | C |
| Ruturaj Gaikwad | C |
BCCI’s Annual Contracts for the Senior Women’s Players
The BCCI has awarded contracts to 21 women’s cricketers under the BCCI Annual Contracts for 2025-26 season, ensuring continuity in the women’s cricket ecosystem.
- Overall contract count: 21 women’s players have been contracted for the 2025-26 season, reflecting sustained investment in women’s cricket infrastructure.
- Distribution across grades: Grade A contains 3 players, Grade B includes 5 players, and Grade C features 13 players across various specializations.
- Significance for women’s cricket pathway: These contracts provide financial stability and professional recognition, supporting long-term player development and international competitiveness.
| Player Name | Grade |
|---|---|
| Harmanpreet Kaur | A |
| Smriti Mandhana | A |
| Jemimah Rodrigues | A |
| Deepti Sharma | B |
| Renuka Thakur | B |
| Shafali Verma | B |
| Richa Ghosh | B |
| Sneh Rana | B |
| Radha Yadav | C |
| Amanjot Kaur | C |
| Pratika Rawal | C |
| Kranti Gaud | C |
| Uma Chetry | C |
| Arundhati Reddy | C |
| Sree Charani | C |
| Yastika Bhatia | C |
| Harleen Deol | C |
| Kashvee Gautam | C |
| G Kamalini | C |
| Vaishnavi Sharma | C |
| Tejal Hasabnis | C |
Grade A Senior Men Annual Player Retainership 2025-26
Grade A represents the elite tier in the BCCI annual player retainership 2025-26, reserved for cricketers demonstrating consistent performance across multiple formats. This category includes only three players this season.
These players provide leadership value both on and off the field. Their format consistency and availability across Tests, ODIs, and T20Is justify their top-tier classification under the new contract structure.
| Player Name | Grade |
|---|---|
| Shubman Gill | A |
| Jasprit Bumrah | A |
| Ravindra Jadeja | A |
Grade B Senior Men Annual Player Retainership 2025-26
Grade B features 11 players balancing workload management requirements with competitive performance standards. This tier includes both established internationals and rising multi-format players.
The grade reflects role shifts following recent retirements and format-specific availability changes. Performance balance across white-ball and red-ball cricket determines placement in this mid-tier category.
| Player Name | Grade |
|---|---|
| Washington Sundar | B |
| Rohit Sharma | B |
| Virat Kohli | B |
| KL Rahul | B |
| Mohammed Siraj | B |
| Hardik Pandya | B |
| Rishabh Pant | B |
| Kuldeep Yadav | B |
| Yashasvi Jaiswal | B |
| Suryakumar Yadav | B |
| Shreyas Iyer | B |
Grade C Senior Men Annual Player Retainership 2025-26
Grade C contains 16 players, representing the largest category in the men’s contract framework. This tier focuses on bench strength and future planning for India’s international squads.
Transition players moving between domestic and international cricket dominate this category. The expanded Grade C reflects BCCI’s strategy of maintaining depth across all playing positions and formats.
| Player Name | Grade |
|---|---|
| Axar Patel | C |
| Tilak Varma | C |
| Rinku Singh | C |
| Shivam Dube | C |
| Sanju Samson | C |
| Arshdeep Singh | C |
| Prasidh Krishna | C |
| Akash Deep | C |
| Dhruv Jurel | C |
| Harshit Rana | C |
| Varun Chakaravarthy | C |
| Nitish Kumar Reddy | C |
| Abhishek Sharma | C |
| Sai Sudharsan | C |
| Ravi Bishnoi | C |
| Ruturaj Gaikwad | C |
Grade A Senior Women Annual Player Retainership 2025-26
The women’s Grade A category features three players forming the leadership core of India’s international teams. These cricketers demonstrate leadership stability and provide the experience core across all formats.
Their consistent performances in bilateral series and ICC tournaments justify a top-tier placement. They serve as mentors for younger players while maintaining high performance standards themselves.
| Player Name | Grade |
|---|---|
| Harmanpreet Kaur | A |
| Smriti Mandhana | A |
| Jemimah Rodrigues | A |
Grade B Senior Women Annual Player Retainership 2025-26
Grade B includes five women’s players who balance rotation policy requirements with consistent performance delivery. This tier bridges the gap between elite performers and emerging talent.
Performance monitoring across formats determines Grade B placement. These players provide crucial depth in squad selection while competing for Grade A promotion through sustained excellence.
| Player Name | Grade |
|---|---|
| Deepti Sharma | B |
| Renuka Thakur | B |
| Shafali Verma | B |
| Richa Ghosh | B |
| Sneh Rana | B |
Grade C Senior Women Annual Player Retainership 2025-26
Grade C features 13 women’s players representing the long-term development strategy for Indian cricket. This category ensures pipeline continuity from the domestic to the international level.
Players in this tier receive structured support while gaining international exposure. The broad Grade C roster allows BCCI to monitor emerging talent across batting, bowling, and wicketkeeping departments.
| Player Name | Grade |
|---|---|
| Radha Yadav | C |
| Amanjot Kaur | C |
| Pratika Rawal | C |
| Kranti Gaud | C |
| Uma Chetry | C |
| Arundhati Reddy | C |
| Sree Charani | C |
| Yastika Bhatia | C |
| Harleen Deol | C |
| Kashvee Gautam | C |
| G Kamalini | C |
| Vaishnavi Sharma | C |
| Tejal Hasabnis | C |
Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma demoted to the Grade B Category in BCCI Contracts
🚨 News 🚨
BCCI announces Annual Player Retainership for Team India Senior Men and Senior Women for the 2025-26 season#TeamIndia | Details 🔽https://t.co/Rd3pUCPRr9 pic.twitter.com/UNYRThs1kW
— BCCI (@BCCI) February 9, 2026
Two of India’s most decorated cricketers have been moved to Grade B in the latest contract cycle, marking a significant shift in their central contract status.
- Primary reason for grade change: Both players retired from Test cricket following India’s tour of Australia, reducing their format availability to ODIs and T20Is only.
- Effect of red-ball retirement decisions: BCCI’s contract policy directly links grade placement to multi-format participation, making the demotion a procedural outcome of their retirement announcements.
- What this means for future selections: Both remain integral to India’s white-ball strategies despite the grade change, with their experience critical for upcoming ICC tournaments and bilateral series.
Conclusion:
The BCCI Annual Player Retainership 2025-26 reflects BCCI’s evolving approach to player management and format-specific recognition.
The elimination of the A+ category and revised grading criteria mark significant policy changes.
Senior players experienced grade adjustments following format retirements, while emerging cricketers gained recognition through expanded lower-tier contracts.
The women’s contracts maintained stability with established performers retaining top positions.
- What changed: The A+ category was removed, and contracts now prioritize current format participation over legacy achievements.
- Who gained the most: Shubman Gill, Jasprit Bumrah, and Ravindra Jadeja secured Grade A status, while 16 emerging men’s players entered the contract system through Grade C.
- Key points to monitor next season: Grade movements based on performance consistency, potential promotions from Grade C, and the impact of workload policies on contract classifications.
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