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BCCI May Scrap A+ Grade, Overhaul Central Contracts in Key Meeting

The BCCI will discuss potential changes to the India men's central contracts system at its upcoming Apex Council meeting, based on proposals from the Ajit Agarkar-led selection committee. A key change under consideration is the phasing out of the top-tier Grade A+ category, which currently includes players like Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli. The current contract structure has four grades with retainers ranging from Rs 1 crore to Rs 7 crore, in addition to match fees. Any final decision on monetary changes and the grading system will only be implemented after formal approval from the Apex Council.

Key Points: BCCI to Discuss Changes to India Men's Central Contracts

  • A+ grade likely to be phased out
  • Retainer amounts under review
  • Ajit Agarkar committee made proposals
  • Changes need Apex Council approval
2 min read

BCCI to discuss changes in India men's central contracts in Apex Council meeting

BCCI's Apex Council to review central contract grading system, potentially phasing out A+ category. Proposal from Ajit Agarkar's committee on the table.

"A possibility of change in the grading system in India men's central contracts will come for discussion - BCCI Sources"

New Delhi, Jan 20

The Board of Control for Cricket in India will discuss possible changes to the India men's central contracts system at its next Apex Council meeting, as per proposals from the Ajit Agarkar-led selection committee.

Sources in the BCCI told IANS on Tuesday that the five-member selection panel has made some proposals, though it is understood that the board's top brass haven't received them yet, and a formal discussion will take place at the upcoming meeting.

"A possibility of change in the grading system in India men's central contracts will come for discussion in the next BCCI Apex Council meeting. The Ajit Agarkar-led selection committee is learnt to have made some proposals and it will be discussed in the Apex Council meeting, for which a date will be announced in due course of time," sources said further.

It is further understood that Grade A+ is likely to be phased out, but its final fate and any subsequent monetary changes will be implemented only after the Apex Council approves them at the meeting.

As of now, annual retainers for Indian men's cricketers are categorised into A+, A, B, and C grades, in addition to match fees across different formats. The retainer amount for Grade A+ players is Rs 7 crore, while Rs 5 crore, Rs 3 crore, and Rs 1 crore are given to cricketers in Grades A, B, and C, respectively.

Currently, senior players Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Jasprit Bumrah and Ravindra Jadeja are in the A+ bracket. However, it will be interesting to see whether Kohli and Rohit, who play only ODIs, and Jadeja, who plays Tests and ODIs, will continue to be in the top tier of annual retainers, especially if the system changes.

According to the 2024/25 contracts list announced on April 21, 2025, Mohammed Siraj, KL Rahul, Shubman Gill (now India's Test and ODI skipper), Hardik Pandya, Mohammed Shami, and Rishabh Pant were in Grade A. India's T20I captain Suryakumar Yadav, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Yashasvi Jaiswal and Shreyas Iyer were placed in Grade B.

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 and Harshit Rana were placed in Grade C.

- IANS

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Reader Comments

S
Sarah B
As a cricket fan living in India, I hope any changes reward consistency and commitment to all formats. Players like Bumrah who are crucial across Tests, ODIs, and T20s truly deserve the top bracket. Performance-based grading is the way forward.
P
Priyanka N
They need to be very careful. Kohli and Rohit are legends who built modern Indian cricket. Their value is beyond just current matches. Phasing out A+ shouldn't mean disrespecting their legacy. Hope the council finds a balanced approach. 🤞
A
Aman W
Good move. The money saved from a bloated A+ category can be used to increase retainers for Grades B and C. Youngsters like Jaiswal, Jurel, and Abhishek Sharma are the future and need better financial security to focus purely on cricket.
D
David E
The BCCI has more than enough revenue to pay all its top cricketers well without cutting anyone's pay. This feels like creating unnecessary drama. If it's about fairness, just add more objective criteria to the A+ grade instead of removing it.
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Kavya N
What about match fees? A transparent system where a Test match earns more than a T20I is important. Retainers are one thing, but the real incentive should be for playing the tough, longer format. Hope that's part of the discussion too.

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