BCCI Considers Central Contract Restructure Following Jasprit Bumrah Grade Downgrade
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is reviewing its central contract valuation structure following the elimination of the elite Grade A+ category. This administrative decision leaves top-performing players, most notably India’s primary fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah, facing an unintended reduction in their annual retainers.
Why the BCCI Removed Grade A+
The BCCI removed the Grade A+ tier for the 2024-2025 season due to a lack of eligible candidates. Historically, this top tier was reserved for players who maintained a secure position in all three international formats (Test, ODI, and T20I) and held a top-10 ICC world ranking in at least one format.
Following the T20I retirements of Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and Ravindra Jadeja, Bumrah became the sole active player meeting the multi-format eligibility requirement. Rather than maintaining a single-player tier, the board dissolved the category, placing Bumrah into Grade A alongside Test and ODI captain Shubman Gill and Ravindra Jadeja.
Financial Impact and the Proposed Pay Revision
The dissolution of the A+ tier creates a ₹2 crore deficit for Bumrah, who has held the top contract since the grading system was introduced in the 2018-19 season. The board has not officially published the monetary values for the current season, but internal discussions indicate a potential restructuring to compensate players downgraded by default rather than a drop in performance.
| Grade | Previous Retainer Value | Eligible Players (2024-25) |
|---|---|---|
| Grade A+ | ₹7 crore | Discontinued |
| Grade A | ₹5 crore | Jasprit Bumrah, Shubman Gill, Ravindra Jadeja |
| Grade B | ₹3 crore | KL Rahul, Mohammed Siraj, Hardik Pandya, Rishabh Pant |
| Grade C | ₹1 crore | Axar Patel, among others |
Debated Downgrades: Axar Patel and the Middle Tier
Beyond Bumrah, the reclassification affects several consistent performers. India’s T20I vice-captain Axar Patel received a Grade C contract despite being an integral part of the white-ball setup during India’s highly successful 2024 season, which included an ICC Men’s T20 World Cup victory.
According to the official BCCI grading criteria established in 2018-19, securing a Grade A or B contract requires meeting two of four specific metrics:
- Regular appearances in at least two formats
- Automatic selection in the starting XI
- Placement among the top 15 (Grade A) or top 20 (Grade B) in world rankings
- Automatic selection in the Test team with a minimum match count (40 for Grade A, 60 for Grade B)
Ranked 11th among T20I all-rounders and serving as an automatic selection in white-ball cricket, Axar meets at least two criteria for a higher bracket. Other notable players experiencing a drop from Grade A to Grade B include KL Rahul, Mohammed Siraj, Hardik Pandya, and Rishabh Pant. The BCCI has historically factored in injury layoffs to prevent penalizing players, but the current strict enforcement of format-availability has compressed the upper tiers.
Next Steps for the Cricket Board
The board must now decide whether to adjust the financial compensation for Grade A contracts or rewrite the eligibility criteria entirely to reflect the modern specialization of format-specific players. Final contract values are expected to be communicated to the players in the coming weeks.