BCCI May Cut Salaries of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli as A+ Category Could Be Axed
Upcoming Apex Council meeting could reshape India’s men’s central contract system, linking player grades to performance and format participation.
New Delhi (Agency): The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is set to hold a critical Apex Council meeting that could bring significant changes to the men’s central contract system. The five-member selection committee, led by Ajit Agarkar, has reportedly prepared proposals regarding potential revisions, which will be discussed in the upcoming meeting.
According to BCCI sources, the proposals have not yet been formally submitted to top board officials, but are expected to be included in the agenda of the next Apex Council meeting.
The most significant discussion is likely to focus on the grading system of central contracts. Currently, players are classified into A+, A, B, and C grades, with annual retainers of ₹7 crore, ₹5 crore, ₹3 crore, and ₹1 crore respectively. Sources indicate that the A+ category may gradually be phased out, though the final decision will rest with the Apex Council. If implemented, this could also lead to revisions in retainer amounts.
At present, Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Jasprit Bumrah, and Ravindra Jadeja are in the A+ grade. Given the evolving cricket calendar and players’ format priorities, questions are arising about whether players who participate in only a single format will continue to occupy the top tier. Rohit and Kohli currently play only ODI cricket, while Jadeja plays Tests and ODIs. Linking contract grades to performance and format availability could potentially affect their salaries and grading.
According to the 2024-25 central contract list announced on 21 April 2025, Mohammed Siraj, KL Rahul, Shubman Gill, Hardik Pandya, Mohammed Shami, and Rishabh Pant were in Grade A. T20I captain Suryakumar Yadav, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, and Yashasvi Jaiswal were in Grade B, while several young and emerging players were assigned Grade C.
All eyes are now on the BCCI Apex Council meeting, which will determine the future direction of India’s men’s central contract system and how player grading, salaries, and retainers are structured in the coming years.
