BCCI Central Contracts 2024–25: Pant Promoted, Iyer and Kishan Reinstated, Senior Players Dropped

BCCI Central Contracts 2024–25: Promotions, Demotions, and New Faces

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has announced its central contracts for the 2024–25 season, with notable promotions, demotions, and a wave of emerging talent recognised.

The annual announcement, keenly watched across the cricketing world, reflects both on-field performance and off-field discipline.

Familiar Faces at the Top

Captain Rohit Sharma, star batter Virat Kohli, pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah, and all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja continue to occupy the elite Grade A+ category.
Of these, only Bumrah remains an active participant across all three international formats. Rohit, Kohli, and Jadeja have stepped back from T20 internationals following India’s triumph in the 2024 T20 World Cup.

Grade A+ players are awarded ₹7 crore (approximately £670,000) per year.

Pant Rewarded, Iyer and Kishan Return

Wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant, who spent much of 2023 recovering from a serious car accident, has been promoted to Grade A after a remarkable comeback season. His elevation comes alongside fast bowler Mohammed Siraj, opening batter Shubman Gill, and wicketkeeper KL Rahul — all moving up from Grade B.

Middle-order batter Shreyas Iyer and wicketkeeper-batter Ishan Kishan, who had previously fallen out of favour over disciplinary issues surrounding domestic cricket participation, have been reinstated.
Iyer returns to Grade B, while Kishan has been slotted into Grade C, which carries a retainer of ₹1 crore (£96,000).

The BCCI had earlier underlined its expectation that all centrally contracted players must represent their domestic sides when not on national duty.

Senior Players Miss Out

Several seasoned campaigners have missed out on contracts this year. Test specialists Cheteshwar Pujara and Umesh Yadav, limited-overs stalwart Shikhar Dhawan, and spinner Yuzvendra Chahal are absent from the list, signalling a generational shift in the Indian setup.

All-rounder Axar Patel has been demoted from Grade A to Grade B.

Young Blood Steps In

The new contract list places a strong emphasis on emerging talent. Yashasvi Jaiswal, who impressed during India’s recent Test series against England, has been handed a Grade B contract.

Several promising players, including Rinku Singh, Tilak Varma, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Shivam Dube, Ravi Bishnoi, Jitesh Sharma, Mukesh Kumar, Prasidh Krishna, Avesh Khan, and Rajat Patidar, find a place in Grade C.

This injection of youth is seen as vital preparation for India’s next World Test Championship cycle and the 2025 Champions Trophy.

Contract Structure

The BCCI’s annual central contracts are divided into four tiers:

• Grade A+: ₹7 crore
• Grade A: ₹5 crore
• Grade B: ₹3 crore
• Grade C: ₹1 crore

These retainers are supplemented by match fees and bonuses for outstanding performances.

Future Outlook

The 2024–25 list underlines the BCCI’s twin focus: rewarding consistent performances while setting high expectations for commitment to the domestic circuit.

With a packed international calendar ahead, including tours of Australia and South Africa, India’s blend of experienced campaigners and emerging stars looks set to deliver another thrilling year of cricket.