Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma are reportedly facing a potential demotion in the upcoming BCCI central contracts cycle for 2025–26, according to Indian media reports. The matter is expected to be discussed during the Board of Control for Cricket in India’s (BCCI) apex council meeting scheduled for December 22.
The reports suggest that the BCCI plans to reassess the grading of its senior players, with Kohli and Rohit likely to drop from the top-tier A+ category due to their reduced involvement in India’s multi-format setup. Both players stepped away from T20 Internationals following the 2024 World Cup and subsequently withdrew from Test cricket earlier this year, leaving them active only in the ODI format.
BCCI central contracts are divided into four tiers: A+, A, B, and C, with A+ reserved for India’s leading all-format performers. Given the changes in roles and reduced availability of the senior duo, India’s Test and ODI captain Shubman Gill is expected to be promoted to the A+ category.
In the 2024–25 cycle, Kohli and Rohit retained A+ contracts alongside Jasprit Bumrah and Ravindra Jadeja despite their retirements from longer formats. However, the upcoming adjustment would mark the first significant revision of their contract status in several years.
A demotion would also have financial implications. The A+ category carries an annual retainer of INR 7 crore, while the A category offers INR 5 crore, meaning a reduction of INR 2 crore per player. This potential change reflects both their shifting roles within the national team and the BCCI’s ongoing efforts to align contract grades with active participation across formats.
