BCCI Central Contract list 2024–25: Who is in and who is out?

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has recently released the list of central contracts for the 2024-25 season. The new list of contracts covers 34 players across the four pay grades A+, A, B, and C—and narrates not just the reward mechanism of the board but also speaks of redemption, rejection, and the footprints on the sands of time, left by newly storming stars.

A+ players get ₹7 crore, Grade A players get ₹5 crore, Grade B players get ₹3 crore, and Grade C players get ₹1 crore as per the BCCI Central Contract. This contract is not only a measure of the trust, expectation, and belief of the board but also a reflection of its whole approach to contracts.

Holding Legends, But With Conditions

Predictably, greats like Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Jasprit Bumrah, and Ravindra Jadeja remain in the prized A+ category as a testament to their status in Indian cricket, which has survived the test of time. Although T20I retirements were announced by “Rohit”, “Virat”, and “Jadeja”, they still enjoy the board’s confidence in all formats-likely because of their relevance in Tests and ODIs. This retention serves to show that experience is still highly regarded in India’s cricket transition.

Interestingly, Ashwin, rejected from Grade A status, has been dropped after the announcement of his retirement, showing a great deal of the BCCI’s standing. 

Comeback of Ishan and Shreyas

Perhaps the most discussed story of redemption relates to Ishan Kishan and Shreyas Iyer. Both were absent before due to their non-participation in domestic matches. Kishan in Grade C and Iyer in Grade B-is an indication of the thawing of relations between the board and the player. The message is clear: one is allowed back in for violations, but one’s name will still be remembered.

It is said that it was Kishan’s cameo T20I performances, hardly regular, but effective, together with Iyer’s return to form in domestic and international cricket, that tipped the scales in their favor. The difference in grading also echoes the expectation of the board, which looks for both consistency and commitment before returning completely to trust.

New Faces, New Energy

Nitish Kumar Reddy, Harshit Rana, Abhishek Sharma, and Varun Chakravarthy are also included in the BCCI Central Contract list 2025.. Their performances, particularly under pressure, have impressed selectors and given Indian cricket a new refreshing depth. 

Nitish’s chin-up attitude during India’s tour of Australia, Harshit Rana’s real mastery of pace bowling across formats, and Abhishek’s aggressive sweep impressed the BCCI. Varun Chakravarthy’s exemplary show in T20Is, especially during the Champions Trophy, and subsequently reclaiming his spot in the contracts list is a glorious story of redemption and resilience.

The Curious Case of Shardul Thakur

Shardul Thakur, who once was India’s in-form all-round utility player, now finds himself in the unfamiliar territory of no BCCI Central Contract. Blessed with occasional yet blistering bursts of creativity with bat and ball, it seems his lack of consistency and declining international appearances have worked against him. The weight of absence may be what knocked him out.

Without an official BCCI explanation, one could only guess that more reliable all-rounders like Axar Patel and Hardik Pandya have become firmly entrenched, leaving not a scrap of room for uncertainty. Now, the game is all about Thakur having a tremendous domestic season and an impressive IPL.

The Departures: An Almost Elegant Exit

Shardul Thakur has been unceremoniously excised along with others, including wicketkeeper-batsman KS Bharat and Jitesh Sharma, from the BCCI Central Contract. Bharat was once under serious consideration as a Test red-ball specialist, but he seems to have fallen off the selectors’ radar in favor of more explosive alternatives. Jitesh, on the other hand, seems to have fallen off the lineup after the sudden resurgence of Sanju Samson and the emergence of Dhruv Jurel.

Pace bowlers Avesh Khan and Vijaykumar Vyshak may also be out of BCCI’s radar—probably a reflection of their lack of consistency and relative insignificance in the international circuit of late. The message coming from BCCI is clear: past potential is only relevant in terms of current performance and fitness in awarding a central contract.

The Rise of Rishabh Pant

A very happy decision is the promotion of Rishabh Pant from Grade B to Grade A due to his comeback being truly inspiring. His recovery from a life-threatening calamity caused by a car accident is nothing less than miraculous. The selectors now trust Rishabh Pant again, mostly because of his recent performances in recent Test matches, where he has focused ever since his career came to a standstill. Pant has been considered in all formats of the game and has once again been at the center of India’s strategic chessboard.

 

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Grade-wise Distribution (2024–25)

Grade A+ (₹7 Cr)::- Rohit Sharma; Virat Kohli; Jasprit Bumrah; Ravindra Jadeja

Grade A (₹5 Cr)::- Hardik Pandya; Shubman Gill; Rishabh Pant; KL Rahul; Mohammed Shami; Mohammed Siraj

Grade B (₹3 Cr)::- Shreyas Iyer; Suryakumar Yadav; Yashasvi Jaiswal; Kuldeep Yadav; Axar Patel

Grade C (₹1 Cr)::- Rinku Singh; Ishan Kishan; Sanju Samson; Shivam Dube; Tilak Verma; Ravi Bishnoi; Arshdeep Singh; Washington Sundar; Mukesh Kumar; Rajat Patidar; Nitish Reddy; Harshit Rana; Abhishek Sharma; Dhruv Jurel; Prasidh Krishna; Ruturaj Gaikwad; Akash Deep; Varun Chakravarthy; Sarfaraz Khan

A balance of conservatism and boldness

The present central contracts list appears a little conservative, but upon diving deeper, one sees the hues it bears. While BCCI has decided not to hold on to legacy, it has also not entirely gambled on potential. The approach is rather moderate, rewarding performances, efforts, and attitudes that matter. 

The presence of senior players in the company of rising stars is evidently a boon for the board that wants to effect a smooth transition rather than an outright overhaul. The most significant aspect of this list is the reaffirmation of the sense that no one is bigger than the game. This applies equally to the superstar as well as the newcomer; one’s place is decided not by reputation but performance.

Conclusion

The 2024–25 BCCI Central Contracts list isn’t just a reflection of performance statement of intent. It emphasizes performance in selection by India while still rewarding experience, resilience, and discipline. Indian cricket’s future seems in safe hands-and the message for the players is doubly clear: perform or perish.

FAQs

Q1. What was the reason behind Ishan Kishan and Shreyas Iyer being dropped earlier and reinstated now?

A: Both of them missed out on domestic cricket, disregarding a directive from the BCCI. This was the reason behind their exclusion last year; however, they have now returned, meaning reconciliation and improved performances.

Q2. What are the salary brackets under the Central Contract system of BCCI?

A: A+ grade players get ₹7 crore annually, A grade players get ₹5 crore, B grade players get ₹3 crore, while C grade players earn ₹1 crore per annum.

Q3. Who are the new faces in the Central Contract list for 2024–25? 

A: Grade C has been awarded for the first time to Nitish Reddy, Harshit Rana, Abhishek Sharma, and Varun Chakravarthy.

Q4. Why is Shardul Thakur not on this year’s contract list? 

A: He was not included due to not being at par consistently and not being part of the national side since the 2023 ODI World Cup.