Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma Moved to Group B as BCCI Overhauls Central Contracts

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has reportedly overhauled its central contracts structure for the 2025-26 season, doing away with the A+ category and introducing a new three-group system. Under the revised framework, senior stars Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma have been placed in Group B, reflecting their current playing roles rather than past standing.

Kohli and Rohit have stepped away from T20 Internationals and Test cricket and now largely feature in ODIs. The BCCI believes their reduced workload across formats no longer fits the top contract bracket, signalling a shift towards rewarding players who remain active across multiple formats throughout the year.

New top tier under BCCI central contracts 2025-26

Group A is now the highest contract tier and is reserved for players who either lead India or are central to the team in more than one format. Only three cricketers have made the cut - Test and ODI captain Shubman Gill, pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah, and senior all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja.

According to sources, the revised structure is aimed at prioritising availability, leadership and present-day impact over legacy. Multi-format participation has emerged as the key criterion for the top tier, narrowing the group but aligning pay more closely with modern international demands.

Full list of BCCI central contracts 2025-26

The revamped contracts are divided into three groups:

Group A: Shubman Gill, Jasprit Bumrah, Ravindra Jadeja

Group B: Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Washington Sundar, KL Rahul, Hardik Pandya, Mohammed Siraj, Rishabh Pant, Kuldeep Yadav, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shreyas Iyer

Group C: Axar Patel, Tilak Varma, Rinku Singh, Shivam Dube, Sanju Samson, Arshdeep Singh, Prasidh Krishna, Akash Deep, Dhruv Jurel, Harshit Rana, Varun Chakravarthy, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Abhishek Sharma, Sai Sudharsan, Ravi Bishnoi, Ruturaj Gaikwad

Merit-based shift in contract philosophy

The changes follow recommendations from the Ajit Agarkar-led selection committee. The removal of the ₹7 crore A+ slab marks the end of the earlier four-tier model. While some senior players may see a reduction in top-end retainers, the BCCI's intent is to ensure that contracts mirror current involvement and contribution.

Officials believe the new structure reinforces a merit-based approach, where consistent multi-format participation carries greater weight than historical stature. At the same time, experienced players who continue to play key roles in at least one format remain recognised within the system.