BCCI mulls scrapping A+ category in central contracts, may result in Kohli, Rohit’s demotion

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is reportedly considering a major overhaul of its central contract system, which may entirely scrap the ‘A+’ category.

The A+ grade has until now been reserved for the country’s biggest stars, including Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and Jasprit Bumrah.

Reports citing sources noted that the decision, if implemented, could have a direct bearing on senior players such as Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli. 

The two veterans, who have retired from T20 Internationals and Test cricket, could be demoted to a lower grade—possibly Category B—for the first time in more than ten years.

The BCCI has not made any official announcement on the matter so far.

Under the central contracts for the 2024–25 season, announced in April 2025, four players—Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, Jasprit Bumrah and Ravindra Jadeja—were placed in the top A+ category.

The A category included Mohammed Siraj, KL Rahul, Shubman Gill, Hardik Pandya, Mohammed Shami and Rishabh Pant. 

Category B comprised Suryakumar Yadav, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Yashasvi Jaiswal and Shreyas Iyer, while Category C featured 19 players, most of whom were active in only one format of the game.

The move would bring the BCCI’s contract structure closer to that recently adopted by the Pakistan Cricket Board, which abolished its top-tier category.