Indian batting giants Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma are set to retain their Grade A+ central contracts, worth INR 7 crores annually, as the BCCI is set to announce their annual contracts list for this year.   Also, Shreyas Iyer will be making his comeback on the BCCI central contracts list after losing them last year.

“Even after retiring from the T20 format, Rohit and Kohli will continue in the elusive A category. Shreyas Iyer, India's leading run-getter in the recent Champions Trophy, is all set to make his comeback in the central contract list," sources told IANS.

Shreyas Iyer and Ishan Kishan were left off the central contract list for the previous season because they were unable to play domestic cricket. Shreyas returned to domestic cricket, earning a place in the Indian team. Kishan has yet to retake his position, however.

Since November 2023, when Ishan Kishan took a sabbatical due to exhaustion, he has not played any international cricket for India. He declined to play domestic cricket when asked by the BCCI ahead of the England Test series in 2024 and hence was withdrawn from the central contract.

However, the report also stated that Ishan Kishan, who has done well domestically and recently scored a century in IPL 2025 for SRH, will miss out on the BCCI central contracts on a technicality.

To be eligible for a central contract with the BCCI, India men’s players must play three Tests, eight ODIs, or ten T20Is in a calendar year. Kishan's chances of getting a BCCI contract are minimal because he hasn't played any international cricket since late 2023.

"Wicketkeeper batter Ishan Kishan, who was notably excluded alongside Iyer last year, still has to wait for his return in central contracts," the IANS source said.

In addition, Axar Patel, an all-rounder who contributed significantly to India's unbeaten streaks in the T20 World Cup and Champions Trophy, is also a strong candidate for promotion.

Varun Chakaravarthy, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Abhishek Sharma, who have had standout performances for India in various forms over the previous year, also have a good chance of earning their maiden central contract.

Earlier, IANS reported that the meeting between Ajit Agarkar, head of the senior men's selection committee, and Devajit Saikia, secretary of the Board of Control for Cricket in India, was scheduled to take place in Guwahati on Saturday but was postponed.

The discussion focused on two important topics: the men's team's annual retainers and the first lineup of India's 'A' and senior teams for the England tour.

(IANS inputs)