Kohli, Rohit set for demotion in central contracts

Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma are reportedly headed for a demotion in the upcoming BCCI central contracts cycle for 2025–26, with Indian media claiming the matter will be taken up during the cricket board’s apex council meeting on December 22.

According to the reports, the BCCI is expected to revisit the grading of its senior-most players, with Kohli and Rohit likely to drop from the top A+ bracket due to their reduced involvement in India’s multi-format setup.

Both players stepped away from T20Is following the 2024 World Cup and later withdrew from Test cricket earlier this year, leaving ODI cricket as their only active format.

The BCCI’s central contracts are divided into four tiers, A+, A, B, and C, with the highest category reserved for India’s premier all-format performers.

With the shift in roles and reduced availability of the senior pair, India’s Test and ODI captain Shubman Gill is expected to be promoted to the A+ list.

Kohli and Rohit continued to hold A+ contracts in the 2024–25 cycle alongside Jasprit Bumrah and Ravindra Jadeja despite their retirements from longer formats.

However, the latest reports indicate that the board is now prepared to adjust their status, marking the first major revision to their positioning in several years.

A demotion would also mean a financial hit for the two modern greats. The A+ category carries an annual retainer of INR 7 crore, while the A bracket offers INR 5 crore, a reduction of INR 2 crore per player.