Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma Set to Retain A-Plus Category, Shreyas Iyer to Return to BCCI Central Contract List
India’s cricket stalwarts, Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, are set to remain in the A-plus grade of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) central contract list for the 2025-26 season. Meanwhile, Shreyas Iyer, who was dropped from the list previously for reportedly missing domestic cricket, is expected to return to the central contract list, according to sources.
The BCCI is looking to retain both Virat and Rohit in the A-plus category, where they will earn Rs 7 crore despite their retirement from the T20I format. Rohit and Virat had their final appearances in T20Is after leading India to the ICC T20 World Cup victory in Barbados last year, which ended the country’s long wait for an ICC trophy.
A BCCI source confirmed, “Rohit and Virat will continue their A+ grade central contract (Rs 7 crore) even after retiring from the T20I format. They are big players and will be accorded the respect they deserve. Shreyas Iyer is all set to be back in the central contract.”
While Rohit, a modern-day icon in white-ball cricket, has seen a decline in form across formats, he remains an important figure in the Indian team. After announcing his retirement from T20Is on a high note, the seasoned opener’s performances have faltered, particularly in Tests. During India’s historic 3-0 series win over New Zealand, Rohit scored just 91 runs in three Test matches, averaging 15.17. His struggles continued against Bangladesh, where he managed only 42 runs in two Test matches, averaging 10.50. In the Test series against Australia, Rohit’s performance was even more dismal, with just 31 runs from five innings, averaging a low 6.20.
Virat Kohli has also come under scrutiny following a challenging year. In the recently concluded Border-Gavaskar Trophy, he could only manage 190 runs from 10 innings. Over the last year, he accumulated just 655 international runs in 23 matches, averaging 21.83, with only one century and two fifties to his name. Despite these struggles, Kohli remains a key player, and his standing in the central contract is expected to continue.
In contrast, Shreyas Iyer’s return to the central contract list follows a strong performance in domestic cricket after his previous omission. Iyer, who was dropped after missing domestic cricket despite being available, has made a notable comeback. In the last Ranji Trophy season, he scored 480 runs in five matches for Mumbai, averaging 68.57 and striking at a healthy rate of 90.22. He also impressed in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy with 345 runs in nine matches, and in the Vijay Hazare Trophy, Iyer scored a staggering 325 runs in five games at an extraordinary average of 325.00.
Shreyas Iyer was also part of India’s Champions Trophy-winning squad in February, finishing as the tournament’s top run-scorer for India with 243 runs from five matches.
With these strong performances in domestic cricket, Iyer is expected to be reinstated in the BCCI central contract list, signaling his return to the national fold.
