Archive · 21 Jan 2026
BCCI to Remove A+ Category
The cricket board in India is thinking about changing the contracts for top players.
They want to remove the highest category, which pays 7 crores, because some players like Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma are not playing all types of cricket games.
Only Jasprit Bumrah is active in all formats.
The board will decide on this change in their next meeting.
If the change happens, Kohli and Sharma might be moved to a lower category.
The new structure will have only A, B, and C categories.
Players in the A category will likely be paid 7 crores, and there might be changes in the payment for the B category.
BCCI proposes to remove the A+ category from central contracts to simplify the structure.
Current A+ players include Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, Jasprit Bumrah, and Ravindra Jadeja.
Only Jasprit Bumrah is active in all three formats; others have retired from certain formats.
The A+ category offers a contract value of 7 crores, which will be retained for the A category.
The proposal will be ratified at the next BCCI apex council meeting, with no pay cut for Bumrah.
- Who
- BCCI and Ajit Agarkar-led selection committee
- What
- Proposed removal of A+ category in central contracts
- When
- Decision to be made at next BCCI apex council meeting
- Where
- India
- Why
- To simplify the contract structure and reflect players' availability across formats
- Current A+ Players
- Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, Jasprit Bumrah, Ravindra Jadeja
- A+ Contract Value
- 7 crores
- Selection Committee Head
- Ajit Agarkar
- BCCI
- Board of Control for Cricket in India
- Active A+ Player in All Formats
- Jasprit Bumrah
- Number of Central Contracts
- 34
- Proposed Contract Categories
- A, B, C
- Other All-Format Players
- Kuldeep Yadav, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar
- Shubman Gill's Category
- A
- Likely Category for Rohit and Kohli
- B
Sources
Ajit Agar Plans 7 Crore Shock To Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma; Swings Axe On A+ Category Amid Bleak Run
Big BCCI contract shock for Rohit, Kohli
BCCI Set To DEMOTE Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma To Grade 'B' In Central Contracts
BCCI Expected To Revamp Central Contracts; A+ Grade Poised To Be Scrapped, Rohit & Kohli May Be Demoted To Grade B: Report
Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma may be demoted from A+ to Category B: Ajit Agarkar-led selectors propose BCCI overhaul
BCCI to Overhaul Annual Central Contracts; Kohli, Sharma May Move to Grade B
BCCI Apex Council to deliberate changes in India men’s central contracts
₹4 crore pay cut? The massive price Rohit, Virat may pay for BCCI’s new contract rule
BCCI likely to overhaul Annual Central Contracts, scrap A+ Grade; Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma may move to Grade B
BCCI set to scrap A+ category from players’ central contracts
BCCI to ‘simplify’ central contracts by removing A+ category
