In a noteworthy update to Indian cricket’s annual contract cycle, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on Monday released its list of centrally contracted players for the 2024-25 season, with the return of Shreyas Iyer and Ishan Kishan standing out as the biggest talking points.
Earlier this year, both Iyer and Kishan found themselves excluded from the BCCI’s central contract roster after failing to make themselves available for Ranji Trophy duties despite not being on national assignment — a move that raised questions about player commitment to red-ball cricket.
However, the latest announcement sees both players reinstated, with Shreyas Iyer being slotted into Grade B and Ishan Kishan returning under Grade C.
Iyer’s resurgence has been particularly impressive, as he not only reclaimed his spot in the ODI squad but also emerged as a crucial figure during India’s triumphant Champions Trophy campaign.
In contrast, Kishan, who hasn’t featured in any international match since his exclusion, still finds a place in the contracts list, indicating that the selectors are keeping him in the loop for fans despite limited recent game time.
Stability at the Top: No Big Surprises in A+ and A Grades
The BCCI’s top contract bracket, Grade A+, which guarantees an annual retainership of ₹7 crore, remains unchanged and continues to feature the stalwarts of Indian cricket: Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Jasprit Bumrah, and Ravindra Jadeja.
With veteran spinner Ravichandran Ashwin having formally retired from international cricket, Rishabh Pant has been promoted from Grade B to Grade A, joining other key members like KL Rahul, Mohammed Shami, Mohammed Siraj, Shubman Gill, and Hardik Pandya. Players under Grade A receive an annual retainer of ₹5 crore.
One-Format Stars Remain in Grade B
Even though Suryakumar Yadav has risen to the leadership role as India’s T20I captain, he continues to be listed under Grade B — worth ₹3 crore annually — as he is yet to cement a consistent place across formats.
The same applies to Kuldeep Yadav and Axar Patel, who, despite being part of all three squads from time to time, remain in the B category, along with young talents Yashasvi Jaiswal and the returning Shreyas Iyer.
Expanded Grade C: Embracing Emerging Talent
Grade C, offering an annual retainer of ₹1 crore, has seen the most notable expansion this season. The list now features 19 players, up from 16 last year, as the BCCI accommodated several emerging names who have impressed either in domestic cricket or on their limited international outings.
Among the new faces in Grade C are Harshit Rana, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Akash Deep, Ruturaj Gaikwad, and Varun Chakaravarthy — all of whom have carved out a space for themselves in India’s growing talent pipeline.
Interestingly, despite the BCCI in previous years maintaining a separate fast-bowling contract category to incentivize standout domestic pacers, no such list was released this time around.
BCCI Central Contracts 2024-25 — Full Player List
| Grade | Annual Salary | Players |
|---|---|---|
| A+ | ₹7 crore | Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Jasprit Bumrah, Ravindra Jadeja |
| A | ₹5 crore | Mohammed Siraj, KL Rahul, Shubman Gill, Hardik Pandya, Mohammed Shami, Rishabh Pant |
| B | ₹3 crore | Suryakumar Yadav, Kuldeep Yadav, Axar Patel, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shreyas Iyer |
| C | ₹1 crore | Rinku Singh, Tilak Verma, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Shivam Dube, Ravi Bishnoi, Washington Sundar, Mukesh Kumar, Sanju Samson, Arshdeep Singh, Prasidh Krishna, Rajat Patidar, Dhruv Jurel, Sarfaraz Khan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Ishan Kishan, Abhishek Sharma, Akash Deep, Varun Chakaravarthy, Harshit Rana |
With this announcement, the BCCI has once again emphasized a balanced approach — rewarding seniority, consistent performers, and rising talent — while subtly underlining the importance of both form and discipline in selection criteria.
