Financial stability and performance motivation provided by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) Central Contract, an annual agreement between the board and Indian cricketers, help to motivate performance. Presented in the early 2000s, the contract groups players into grades (A+, A, B, C) based on their contributions over formats: Tests, ODIs, T20Is. Contracted players get an annual retainer charge, match fees, and bonuses, guaranteeing national duties take precedence over private leagues.
Balancing experience and youth, the 2025 roster includes 29 athletes. Notable inclusions as per official reports and other sources follow:
GRADE | NO. | PLAYERS | Salary |
A+ | 1 | Rohit Sharma | ₹7 crore |
2 | Virat Kohli | ₹7 crore | |
3 | Jasprit Bumrah | ₹7 crore | |
4 | Ravindra Jadeja | ₹7 crore | |
A | 5 | Ravichandran Ashwin | ₹5 crore |
6 | Mohammed Shami | ₹5 crore | |
7 | KL Rahul | ₹5 crore | |
8 | Shubman Gill | ₹5 crore | |
B | 9 | Rishabh Pant | ₹3 crore |
10 | Yashasvi Jaiswal | ₹3 crore | |
11 | Mohammed Siraj | ₹3 crore | |
12 | Washington Sundar | ₹3 crore | |
C | 13 | Rinku Singh | ₹1 crore |
14 | Tilak Varma | ₹1 crore | |
15 | Rajat Patidar | ₹1 crore | |
16 | Ravi Bishnoi | ₹1 crore |
Grade A+:
Virat Kohli (36 y): Having quit T20Is, the batting maestro still has A+ status because of his dominance in Test and ODI matches.
38-year-old Rohit Sharma is still ahead in the A+ bracket, so providing India's top order grounding.
At 31 years old, Jasprit Bumrah is still essential across forms as India's speed spearhead.
36 years old: The match-winning skill of Ravindra Jadeja guarantees his top ranking.
Grade A:
Ravichandran Ashwin (38 years): His tactical genius for Test specialists keeps him in Grade A.
Despite injury setbacks, Shamis World Cup 2023 heroics earn him retention. Mohammed Shami, 34 years old.
KL Rahul (33 years): Rahul's batting and wicket-keeper flexibility is recognized.
Shubman Gill, 25 years old: Gills' fast climb in ODIs and tests guarantees his Grade A ranking.
Grade B:
Rishabh Pant (27 years old): Returns following a career-threatening crash; his aggressive hitting is still quite important.
Young openers Test feats elevate Yashasvi Jaiswal (23y).
31-year-old Mohammed Siraj is a reliable red-ball player.
25-year-old Washington Sundar is an across formats utility all-around.
Grade C:
Rinku Singh (27 y): T20I finisher extraordinaire.
22-year-old Tilak Varma is a promising middle-order hitter.
Rewarded for domestic consistency and IPL performance, Rajat Patidar (32 y).
Leg-spin prodigy in white-ball cricket, Ravi Bishnoi (24 years old).
Grade A+: 7 crore retainer plus match fees: 15 lakh / Test; 6 lakh / ODI; 3 lakh / T20I.
Grade A: 5 crore retainers plus same match fees.
Grade B: 3 crore retainers plus match fees.
Grade C: 1 crore retainer plus match expenses.
Milestone bonuses (e.g., series wins, ICC trophies) increase income. For instance, Test regulars like Jadeja and Ashwin often make more via match fees than retainers.
1.Youth Emphasis: Jaiswal, Varma, and Bishnoi draw attention to BCCIs commitment to developing young talent.
2.Coming-back narratives: Pant and Prasidh Krishna come back following injuries; Shami keeps his position despite fitness issues.
3.Omissions: Ishan Kishan and Shreyas Iyer were excluded because of sporadic form and disciplinary problems.
4.Multi-Year Agreements: Kohli, Rohit, and Bumrah allegedly offered a new BCCI strategy to retain senior players.
5.Domestic Rewards: Following outstanding Ranji Trophy performances, Patidar and Mukesh Kumar get promotions.