Indian Cricket Players Salaries 2026: Grade A, B & C Salary

The BCCI remains the wealthiest cricket board in the world, and its annual contract system directly reflects that financial position.

For the 2025-26 season, indian cricket players salaries 2026 have been restructured with significant grade changes across the men’s and women’s setups.

The most consequential update is the permanent removal of the Grade A+ tier.

Senior players have been reassigned, and new captaincy roles have triggered upward and downward movements across all grades.

Indian Cricket Players Salaries 2026

Understanding how retainers, match fees, and incentive schemes combine reveals the full earnings picture for every centrally contracted Indian cricketer.

BCCI Central Contracts 2025-2026

The BCCI Salary Structure for Indian Cricket Players 2026 now operates across three grades following the discontinuation of the A+ category in early 2026.

BCCI central contracts salary is reviewed annually, with 30 men and 21 women currently holding active retainer agreements for the 2025-26 cycle.

Indian Cricket Player Fees [Format Wise]

Match fees are paid in addition to annual retainers and apply per match regardless of grade.

Test Match Fee

Playing XI members earn INR 15 lakh per Test match. Non-playing squad members receive INR 7.5 lakh, exactly half the standard rate per match.

ODI Match Fee

Players in the playing XI earn INR 6 lakh per ODI. Non-playing members receive INR 3 lakh for each match during the series.

T20I Match Fee

T20I playing XI members earn INR 3 lakh per game. Non-playing members receive INR 1.5 lakh per match throughout the series.

Eligibility Rules for Central Contract

To qualify for a BCCI central contract 2026 salary, a player must have completed at least 3 Tests, 8 ODIs, or 10 T20Is in the preceding year.

The BCCI annual contract 2026 salary assessment is conducted each season, with the selection committee reviewing performance, fitness, and domestic contributions before confirming placements.

Indian Men’s Cricket Players Salaries By Category [2025-2026]

The section below covers Indian Men’s Cricket Players Salaries 2026 across all three active contract grades as announced by the BCCI on February 9, 2026.

These figures represent base retainers only and reflect Men’s Cricket Players Salaries 2026 in India, exclusive of match fees and IPL earnings.

Grade A Players (INR 5 Crore)

BCCI A Grade players salary is the highest retainer available in the current structure. Only three players hold a BCCI Grade A salary 2026 status following the removal of the A+ tier.

• Shubman Gill

Gill has been elevated to Grade A following his appointments as Test and ODI captain. His promotion reflects both his consistent run-scoring across formats and his expanded leadership responsibilities within the Indian setup.

• Jasprit Bumrah

Bumrah leads India’s pace attack across all three formats and has held top-tier contract status since 2018. His sustained match-winning performances across conditions make him an automatic inclusion at the highest grade.

• Ravindra Jadeja

Jadeja retains Grade A status as India’s primary all-format all-rounder in Tests and ODIs. He retired from T20I cricket following India’s 2024 World Cup win but remains a central figure in red and white-ball cricket.

Grade B Players (INR 3 Crore)

The indian cricket players salary 2026 list shows significant reshuffling at Grade B, with several former A+ holders now placed at this tier following retirements from multiple formats.

• Rohit Sharma

Rohit has been demoted to Grade B following his retirement from Test cricket and T20Is. He continues as an ODI specialist and remains part of India’s limited-overs planning.

• Virat Kohli

Kohli moved to Grade B after retiring from Test cricket in 2025 and T20Is in 2024. He remains an active ODI player and continues to hold commercial and sporting relevance for the Indian team.

• KL Rahul

Rahul holds Grade B status after returning to consistent form and fitness across the 2023-24 season. He was previously in Grade A before a brief demotion during a difficult injury-hit period.

• Washington Sundar

Sundar is placed in Grade B for the 2025-26 cycle after progressing from Grade C. His all-round utility across Test and white-ball formats has strengthened his standing within the contracted group.

• Mohammed Siraj

Siraj holds Grade B status in the current cycle following his Grade A placement in 2023-24. His performances in ODIs and Tests, including a Player of the Match in the 2023 Asia Cup final, underpinned his elevation.

• Hardik Pandya

Pandya retains Grade B as India’s primary white-ball all-rounder. He has been a consistent T20I and ODI squad member since his return from injury and continues to feature across limited-overs formats.

• Rishabh Pant

Pant holds Grade B status following his remarkable recovery from a serious 2022 accident. He replaced Ravichandran Ashwin, who retired from international cricket in 2024, in the contracted group.

• Kuldeep Yadav

Kuldeep was promoted from Grade C to Grade B in the 2023-24 cycle. Strong domestic and international performances across ODIs and Tests drove his elevation and subsequent retention.

• Yashasvi Jaiswal

Jaiswal was awarded a direct Grade B contract on his maiden BCCI inclusion in 2023-24. Consistent Test opening performances have confirmed his placement in this tier for the current cycle.

• Suryakumar Yadav

Suryakumar holds Grade B as India’s T20I captain and the top-ranked T20I batter globally. He led India to Asia Cup success against Pakistan and remains the central figure in India’s shortest-format planning.

• Shreyas Iyer

Iyer returned to Grade B after overcoming injury and form challenges. He was the leading run-scorer for India during the 2025 Champions Trophy, reinforcing his position as a key middle-order batter.

Grade C Players (INR 1 Crore)

• Axar Patel

Axar contributes as an all-round option across white-ball and Test formats. His Grade C placement for 2025-26 reflects consistent squad inclusion without sustained playing XI certainty.

• Rinku Singh

Rinku has held Grade C status since 2023-24 based on his T20I finishing ability. He remains a specialist death-overs batter in India’s white-ball squad rotation.

• Tilak Verma

Verma received his Grade C contract in 2023-24 following consistent T20I performances. He has established himself as a reliable middle-order option in limited-overs cricket.

• Ruturaj Gaikwad

Gaikwad has been in Grade C since 2023-24. His domestic record with CSK and India A continues to support his annual contract retention.

• Shivam Dube

Dube holds Grade C status as a T20I power-hitting specialist. His role as a finisher in the shortest format makes him a regular white-ball squad member.

• Ravi Bishnoi

Bishnoi received his maiden Grade C contract in 2023-24. His wrist-spin has made him a primary T20I bowling option across different conditions and opposition.

• Sanju Samson

Samson has held Grade C status since at least 2023-24. He serves as a wicketkeeper-batter option across limited-overs formats in India’s squad rotation system.

• Arshdeep Singh

Arshdeep has been a Grade C contracted player since 2023-24. His death-bowling accuracy and left-arm variation make him a consistent T20I and ODI squad member.

• Prasidh Krishna

Krishna has held Grade C status since 2023-24. His ability to extract pace and movement has made him a reliable selection in Test and ODI squads across home and away conditions.

• Dhruv Jurel

Jurel earned Grade C eligibility after completing two Test appearances for India. He was included in the 2024-25 cycle as a developing wicketkeeper-batter with strong domestic credentials.

• Nitish Kumar Reddy

Reddy has been placed in Grade C since 2024-25 following his Test debut. His all-round ability across batting and bowling has drawn significant attention from India’s selection committee.

• Abhishek Sharma

Sharma qualified for Grade C after completing eight T20I appearances for India. His explosive opening batting has made him a first-choice selection in India’s T20I setup.

• Akash Deep

Deep secured his Grade C contract after playing more than three Test matches. His swing bowling in red-ball conditions has impressed selectors across multiple home and away series.

• Varun Chakaravarthy

Chakaravarthy returned to India’s T20I setup in 2024 after an extended absence. His mystery spin earned him a Grade C contract in the 2024-25 cycle based on strong comeback performances.

• Harshit Rana

Rana debuted across formats in 2024 and was immediately placed in Grade C. His pace and composure have marked him as one of India’s most promising fast-bowling prospects.

Indian Cricket Players – Extra Earnings Sources

Beyond central contracts, Indian cricketers earn substantially through IPL auction contracts and brand endorsement deals negotiated independently of the BCCI retainer system.

The BCCI contract list with salary 2026 does not reflect total earnings.

The Test Cricket Incentive Scheme provides additional match-by-match bonuses for players featuring in five or more Tests per season.

Women’s Central Contracts 2025-2026

Indian women cricketers receive the same per-match fees as men across all three international formats. The BCCI contract list with salary 2026 women reflects a structured three-grade retainer system with salaries scaled independently from the men’s framework.

FAQs

• What are the BCCI salary grades for Indian cricketers in 2025-26?

The BCCI operates three grades: Grade A at INR 5 Crore, Grade B at INR 3 Crore, and Grade C at INR 1 Crore. The Grade A+ category was officially discontinued in early 2026.

• What is the annual salary for a Grade A player?

Grade A players receive INR 5 Crore per year as a base retainer. This figure excludes match fees, IPL contracts, and brand endorsement deals, which are negotiated separately.

• What are the format-wise match fees for Indian cricketers?

Players earn INR 15 lakh per Test, INR 6 lakh per ODI, and INR 3 lakh per T20I when selected in the playing XI. Non-playing squad members receive exactly half of these amounts per match.

• What are the eligibility criteria for a BCCI central contract?

A player must have played at least 3 Tests, 8 ODIs, or 10 T20Is in the preceding year. The selection committee reviews placements annually, with exceptional domestic performers also considered for inclusion.

• Do Indian women cricketers receive the same match fees as men?

Yes, women cricketers receive identical per-match fees across all three formats. Their annual retainer amounts are structured differently from the men’s grades but follow the same three-tier system.

Conclusion:

The BCCI’s revised three-grade structure for 2025-26 reflects a clear shift toward merit-based, performance-driven contract placements.

With the A tier removed, indian cricket players salaries 2026 are now distributed more evenly across a wider pool of active players.

Captaincy changes, format retirements, and comeback stories have all directly influenced grade placements this cycle.

The system continues to reward consistency while creating pathways for emerging domestic performers.

• Three Grade System – Clear annual retainers across Grade A, B, and C, replacing the former four-tier structure.
• Match Fees Separate – Format-specific fees paid per match on top of the base annual retainer.
• Incentives Available – Test Cricket Incentive Scheme provides additional bonuses for players in five or more matches.
• Women’s Parity – Equal per-match fees and a structured grade system across the women’s contracted group.
• IPL and Brands Boost Income – Franchise contracts and commercial endorsements significantly expand total earnings beyond BCCI retainers.

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