BCCI Sends Warning to Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli Ahead of England Tour
Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli’s place in the BCCI's Grade A+ central contract is under threat due to their limited format appearances.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has announced the list of centrally contracted players for the 2024–25 season. A total of 34 players have made it to the list, with several new faces earning their maiden contracts. However, all eyes are now on the senior players Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, whose Grade A+ contracts might be under threat next year.
The surprise came when the BCCI continued to keep Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and Ravindra Jadeja in the Grade A+ category. This top-tier category is generally reserved for players who are regularly playing all three formats. But since the trio had already retired from T20Is last year after India’s T20 World Cup win, many expected them to be demoted this time.
As of now, they have retained their spots. But that could change soon. According to a report in India Today, the upcoming England tour could play a major role in deciding their Test future. Both Rohit and Kohli did not have the best outings last year, especially during the series against New Zealand and Australia. There were even calls to drop them from the Test squad.
Fortunately for them, things turned around during the Champions Trophy. They batted well, helped India win the tournament after 12 years, and reminded everyone of their class. But consistency will be the key going forward. Another poor show in England might not only end their Test careers but also impact their Grade A+ status.
While senior players fight to retain their spot, several fresh faces have entered the contract list for the first time. Nitish Kumar Reddy, Dhruv Jurel, Abhishek Sharma, Sarfaraz Khan, Akash Deep, Varun Chakravarthy, and Harshit Rana have all earned their maiden central contracts. Except for Chakravarthy, the rest made their India debuts last year and have been rewarded for their good performances.
The BCCI has also reinstated Shreyas Iyer and Ishan Kishan into the contracts list. Both were dropped last season due to skipping domestic cricket. Their return suggests that the board is open to second chances if players fall in line with expectations.
Meanwhile, Jitesh Sharma, Shardul Thakur, Avesh Khan, and KS Bharat have been dropped from the list. Ravichandran Ashwin’s name is also missing as he recently retired from international cricket.
