The BCCI is likely to announce the central contract list amid the ongoing edition of the Indian Premier League in the coming days. The Board is set to convene a meeting on March 29, which will be attended by secretary Devajit Saikia and India head coach Gautam Gambhir, among others.
The national selection committee prepares the central contracts in consultation with the head coach and secretary, and places it before the Apex Council for approval.
BCCI central contracts: What the different categories, and how much do players earn?
The men's central contracts list had 30 names last time.
Category A+ has a retainership fee of Rs 7 crore.
Category A: Rs 5 crore
Category B: Rs 3 crore
Category C: 1 crore
A player may enter the central contract list, if he plays either three Tests or eight ODIs or 10 T20Is in a calendar year to be considered for the next season.
BCCI central contracts: Will Shreyas Iyer, Ishan Kishan make a comeback?
All eyes are on whether veterans Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and Ravindra Jadeja will be retained in the A+ category, since all three have retired from T20Is, and play only Tests and ODIs now. Though reports suggest that there is difference in opinion over their presence, along with Jasprit Bumrah – an all-format player – in the A+ category, they are likely to be retained in the top bracket for now.
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The A category might see the addition of all-rounder Axar Patel, who is fast becoming an all-format player for India and was recently named vice-captain for England T20I series. Ravichandran Ashwin will be the notable absentee in this category as he has retired from international cricket.
Middle-order batter Shreyas Iyer, who along with wicket-keeper batter Ishan Kishan, was dropped from the BCCI central contracts for the 2023-24 season for not playing domestic cricket, is expected to make a comeback, having emerged as India's top-scorer in the Champions Trophy 2025. He is currently leading Punjab Kings in the IPL. But, whether Kishan, who is playing for the Sunrisers Hyderabad will be considered, remains to be seen.
