The Board of Control for Cricket in India has officially released the BCCI annual player retainership 2025-26 contracts for both men’s and women’s cricketers.
The announcement came on February 9, 2026, marking significant structural changes from the previous season.
The biggest shift involves the removal of the A+ category, which existed in the 2024-25 contracts.
This year’s framework features only three tiers – Grade A, Grade B, and Grade C—affecting several high-profile players.
A total of 30 men’s and 21 women’s cricketers have secured central contracts.
BCCI Annual Player Retainership 2025-26
The new structure reflects BCCI’s emphasis on format-specific performance, workload management, and emerging talent integration.
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BCCI Annual Retainership Contracts for Men’s Players
The BCCI has retained 30 male cricketers under the annual player retainership 2025-26, distributed across three contract grades.
- Total players contracted: 30 men’s cricketers have been awarded central contracts for the upcoming season.
- Contract grade breakdown: Grade A contains 3 players, Grade B includes 11 players, and Grade C features 16 players, representing the largest category.
- Major structural change: The elimination of the A+ category represents the most significant shift, as this tier previously housed players participating across all three formats of international cricket.
| 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 women’s players
The BCCI has awarded annual contracts to 21 women’s cricketers under the BCCI Annual Contracts for the 2025-26 season, reflecting continuity and growth in women’s cricket.
- Total women players retained: 21 female cricketers have been contracted across all three grades for the 2025-26 season.
- Grade distribution overview: Grade A features 3 players, Grade B contains 5 players, and Grade C includes 13 players, showing depth in talent pool development.
- Why women contracts matter this season: The upcoming season includes major ICC events and bilateral series, making central contracts crucial for player availability and preparation continuity.
| 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 category in the BCCI annual player retainership 2025-26, reserved for players consistently performing across multiple formats.
This tier includes only three cricketers this season.
The Grade A players are expected to lead India’s campaign across ODIs, Tests, and T20Is.
These players have demonstrated exceptional consistency and fitness, justifying their top-tier placement despite the removal of the A+ category.
| Player Name | Grade |
|---|---|
| Shubman Gill | A |
| Jasprit Bumrah | A |
| Ravindra Jadeja | A |
Grade B Senior Men Annual Player Retainership 2025-26
Grade B contains 11 players, including several former A+ category members who faced demotions following format-specific retirements.
This category balances experienced campaigners with emerging multi-format players.
The demotion of senior players reflects BCCI’s policy linking contract grades to active participation across formats.
Workload management and format availability now play decisive roles in grade allocation decisions.
| 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 features 16 players, representing the largest category in the men’s contracts.
This tier focuses on emerging talent and format-specific specialists who have shown potential at the international level.
The expanded Grade C reflects BCCI’s strategy of maintaining a deep talent pool across all departments.
Young performers from recent series and IPL standouts dominate this category, positioning them for future upgrades based on consistent performances.
| 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 who form the leadership core of the Indian team.
These cricketers have consistently delivered across formats and hold key roles in team strategy.
Harmanpreet Kaur leads as captain, while Smriti Mandhana and Jemimah Rodrigues provide batting stability.
Their Grade A status reflects sustained excellence in both bilateral series and ICC tournaments over the past season.
| Player Name | Grade |
|---|---|
| Harmanpreet Kaur | A |
| Smriti Mandhana | A |
| Jemimah Rodrigues | A |
Grade B Senior Women Annual Player Retainership 2025-26
Grade B in women’s contracts includes five players who have shown consistent performance with rotation across formats. This tier balances experience with emerging match-winners.
Players like Deepti Sharma and Renuka Thakur provide crucial all-round contributions, while Shafali Verma, Richa Ghosh, and Sneh Rana bring format-specific expertise.
Their Grade B placement reflects strong recent performances and strategic importance.
| 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 development pipeline for India’s future international squad.
This category includes promising performers from domestic cricket and recent international debutants.
The broad Grade C roster ensures BCCI maintains depth across batting, bowling, and wicketkeeping departments.
Players like Yastika Bhatia, Radha Yadav, and Arundhati Reddy have shown potential in limited opportunities, positioning them for future upgrades.
| 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 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
The demotion of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma from the previous A+ tier to Grade B represents one of the most notable changes in this contract cycle.
- Reason behind demotion: Both players announced their retirement from Test cricket following India’s series in Australia, reducing their format availability from three to two (ODIs and T20Is only).
- Impact of Test retirement: BCCI’s contract policy links grade placement to multi-format participation, making their demotion a direct consequence of stepping away from the longest format.
- Future selection implications: Despite the grade change, both remain integral to India’s white-ball campaigns, with their experience crucial for upcoming ICC tournaments and bilateral series.
Conclusion
The BCCI annual player retainership 2025-26 marks a structural shift in how India rewards its cricketers across formats. The removal of the A+ category and emphasis on format availability has reshaped contract hierarchies significantly.
Senior players faced demotions following retirements, while emerging talent received recognition through expanded Grade C placements. The women’s contracts maintained stability with established performers securing top grades.
- What changed: A+ category eliminated, contract grades now tied strictly to format participation and recent performance metrics.
- Who benefited: Shubman Gill, Jasprit Bumrah, and Ravindra Jadeja secured Grade A status, while 16 emerging men’s players gained Grade C contracts.
- What to watch next season: Grade movements based on format-specific performances, potential upgrades for Grade C players, and impact of workload management on contract allocations.
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