BCCI Central Contract Explained! How Much Kohli, Rohit, Bumrah Earn From It?
Rohit, Virat, Bumrah included in A+ category of BCCI central contract list (X.com)
BCCI released its annual central contract retention list for the 2023-24 season earlier today. As many as 30 players received respective grades of contract, whereas Shreyas Iyer and Ishan Kishan were excluded due to a no-show in the domestic circuit. Here's everything you need to know about the BCCI central contracts and their categories.
What is the BCCI Central Contract?
BCCI Central Contract is an annual contract system introduced by the apex body of cricket in India to recognise and reward the top-performing Indian cricketers across all formats of the game.
These contracts are divided into different categories, with players placed in various grades based on their performances, experience, and contribution to the team. The contracted players additionally receive remuneration and perks offered by the apex body.
BCCI central contract categories
The annual contract retention list is further divided into four categories, namely, A+, A, B, and C. The top-performing players for the Indian cricket team across all formats are placed in the A+ list.
The remuneration is granted on the basis of grade level; for example, players of the A+ group earn the most, and the salary starts decreasing as the grade falls.
Additionally, the contracted players also earn match fees for every game they feature across all formats of international cricket.
Contract Worth
In the past few years, BCCI has increased the central contracts salaries to a record number. Currently, 'A+' category players, which include skipper Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Jasprit Bumrah, and Ravindra Jadeja, earn INR 7 crore annually. Moreover, the 'A' category is rewarded with INR 5 crore, followed by INR 3 crore for the 'B' category and INR 1 crore for the 'C' group.
Bonuses and rewards
Apart from the contract salary and match fees, some players are also eligible for bonuses and incentives for their excellence in a particular game or series. This gesture was introduced to keep the players motivated and engaged.
Additional benefits
All centrally contracted players receive some additional perks from the BCCI. The apex body is responsible for covering the player's medical expenses, providing top-notch training facilities, and also availing travel allowances for tours.
Contract duration and commitment
The central contracts are initially designed to last for a calendar year. However, promotion and demotion continue at regular intervals due to players' varying performances.
Also, every player who agrees to the central contract from BCCI is responsible for being available for various international as well as domestic commitments. Notably, these players are not allowed to participate in foreign leagues without a NOC obtained from the BCCI.
BCCI Central Contract List For 2023-24 Season
| Categories | Players |
|---|---|
| A+ | Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Jasprit Bumrah and Ravindra Jadeja |
| A | R Ashwin, Mohd. Shami, Mohd. Siraj, KL Rahul, Shubman Gill and Hardik Pandya |
| B | Surya Kumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant, Kuldeep Yadav, Axar Patel and Yashasvi Jaiswal. |
| C | Rinku Singh, Tilak Verma, Ruturaj Gaekwad, Shardul Thakur, Shivam Dube, Ravi Bishnoi, Jitesh Sharma, Washington Sundar, Mukesh Kumar, Sanju Samson, Arshdeep Singh, KS Bharat, Prasidh Krishna, Avesh Khan and Rajat Patidar |
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