The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is reportedly planning a significant revamp of its central contracts system, which could see batting stalwarts Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma moved out of the elite tier and placed in Grade B in the next annual retainership list.
According to reports, the selection committee led by Ajit Agarkar has proposed scrapping the current Grade A+ category, which carries the highest retainership fee, and retaining only three categories: A, B and C. If the board approves the plan at its upcoming Apex Council meeting, Kohli and Rohit, who have been A+ contract holders, would be reclassified into Grade B.
Kohli and Rohit currently play only One Day Internationals (ODIs) after stepping away from Test and T20 formats, a factor likely influencing their potential downgrade under the new structure. The move would reflect their current role as limited-format specialists rather than multi-format players.
A final decision on the restructuring and grading of players’ contracts will be taken after discussions at the upcoming BCCI Apex Council meeting, ahead of the next contract cycle announcement.
