Here’s the reason why Virat Kohli & Rohit Sharma are set to be demoted in the central contracts

A Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) official has revealed the reason why the Indian talismanic batting duo of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma will not continue in the A Grade category when the board announces the new central contracts.

For the unversed, the BCCI is all set to make a few notable changes to the grading system in the central contracts, which are about to be announced by the board for the 2025-26 season. With both Kohli and Rohit playing only one format, the BCCI is expected to demote them in the new contracts system.

It’s important to note that the BCCI is likely to remove the A+ Grade, which was introduced back in 2018. In the previous cycle, the Grade A+ cricketers used to earn INR 7 crore annually, while A Grade players earn INR 5 Crore, INR 3 Crore for B Grade, and INR 1 Crore for C Grade.

However, in the about-to-be-announced contracts for the 2025-26 season, the cricketers will only be graded in A, B, and C categories instead. With only Jasprit Bumrah currently playing across formats, he is expected to be a part of the top grade.

Notably, with Kohli and Rohit announcing their retirements from Tests and T20Is, they are set to be demoted to the B Grade. Moreover, Ravindra Jadeja, who was in A+ Grade, is only active in Tests and ODIs at the moment. 

"This is being done to simplify the contract structure. There are not many players who are part of all formats. Someone like Bumrah, who remains one of the few all format players, will continue to be placed in the highest category and there would be no pay cut," the BCCI official told PTI.

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