by The BCCI operates a performance-linked central contract system that determines annual earnings for every contracted Indian cricketer.
For the 2025-26 season, indian cricket players salaries 2026 reflect structural changes driven by captaincy appointments, format retirements, and the permanent removal of the Grade A+ tier.
Grade placement directly affects a player’s base retainer and signals their standing within the national setup across formats.
Indian Cricket Players Salaries 2026
Each grade carries a fixed annual retainer, separate from match fees, incentive schemes, and commercial income earned outside the BCCI framework.
BCCI Central Contracts 2026
The BCCI Salary Structure for Indian Cricket Players 2026 now operates across three grades following the official discontinuation of Grade A+.
BCCI central contracts salary is assessed annually, covering 30 men and 21 women under active retainer agreements for the current cycle.
| Grade | Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Grade A | INR 5 Crore |
| Grade B | INR 3 Crore |
| Grade C | INR 1 Crore |
Indian Cricket Player Fees [Format Wise]
Test Match Fee
Playing XI members earn INR 15 lakh per Test match. Non-playing XI members receive 50 percent of the standard match rate per game.
ODI Match Fee
Each ODI appearance earns a playing XI member INR 6 lakh. Non-playing squad members receive INR 3 lakh for each match in the series.
T20I Match Fee
T20I playing XI members earn INR 3 lakh per match. Half payment applies to squad members not selected in the playing eleven.
Eligibility Criteria
To qualify for a BCCI central contract 2026 salary, a player must have played at least 3 Tests, 8 ODIs, or 10 T20Is in the preceding year. The BCCI annual contract 2026 salary review is conducted each season by the selection committee, accounting for performance, fitness, and domestic contributions before finalising all placements.
Indian Men’s Cricket Players Salaries By Category [2025-2026]
The section below covers Indian Men’s Cricket Players Salaries 2026 as officially announced by the BCCI on February 9, 2026.
All figures represent base retainers only and reflect Men’s Cricket Players Salaries 2026 in India, exclusive of match fees, IPL contracts, and endorsement income.
Grade A Players (INR 5 Crore)
BCCI A Grade players salary is the highest retainer tier available following the removal of Grade A+. Only three players currently qualify for BCCI Grade A salary 2026 status.
- Shubman Gill
Gill was promoted to Grade A following his appointment as Test and ODI captain. His consistent multi-format run-scoring across 2023 and expanded leadership role directly supported this elevation.
- Jasprit Bumrah
Bumrah spearheads India’s pace attack across all three international formats. His sustained match-winning performances across home and away conditions have kept him at the highest contract tier since 2018.
- Ravindra Jadeja
Jadeja retains Grade A as India’s all-format all-rounder in Tests and ODIs. He retired from T20I cricket following India’s 2024 World Cup win but remains a first-choice selection in longer formats.
Grade B Players (INR 3 Crore)
The indian cricket players salary 2026 list at Grade B includes former A+ holders reassigned after format retirements alongside consistently performing squad members from previous cycles.
- Rohit Sharma
Rohit was demoted to Grade B after retiring from Test cricket and T20Is. He continues as a specialist ODI batter and remains part of India’s white-ball planning.
- Virat Kohli
Kohli retired from Test cricket in 2025 and T20Is in 2024, triggering his Grade B placement. He remains an active and senior ODI player within the current contracted group.
- KL Rahul
Rahul holds Grade B after returning to consistent form and fitness across 2023-24. He was previously in Grade A before a demotion during an injury-disrupted period.
- Washington Sundar
Sundar has been elevated to Grade B for 2025-26 after progressing from Grade C. His all-round contributions across Test and white-ball formats strengthened his contract positioning.
- Mohammed Siraj
Siraj holds Grade B in the current cycle following his Grade A placement in 2023-24. His ODI and Test performances, including a 2023 Asia Cup final Player of the Match award, drove his earlier promotion.
- Hardik Pandya
Pandya retains Grade B as India’s primary white-ball all-rounder across T20Is and ODIs. He has featured consistently in limited-overs squads since returning from a significant injury absence.
- Rishabh Pant
Pant holds Grade B following his recovery from a serious 2022 accident. He was elevated from Grade B in the 2024-25 cycle and replaced Ravichandran Ashwin, who retired in 2024, within the contracted group.
- Kuldeep Yadav
Kuldeep was promoted from Grade C to Grade B in 2023-24 based on strong international and domestic performances. He has maintained his Grade B placement into the current 2025-26 season.
- Yashasvi Jaiswal
Jaiswal received a direct Grade B contract on his maiden BCCI inclusion in 2023-24. Consistent Test opening performances have confirmed his retention in the Grade B tier.
- Suryakumar Yadav
Suryakumar holds Grade B as India’s T20I captain and top-ranked T20I batter globally. He led India to Asia Cup success against Pakistan and remains the lead figure in shortest-format planning.
- Shreyas Iyer
Iyer returned to Grade B after overcoming injury and form challenges. He was India’s leading run-scorer during the 2025 Champions Trophy, reinforcing his middle-order value.
Grade C Players (INR 1 Crore)
- Axar Patel – Contributes as an all-round option across white-ball and Test formats. Grade C placement reflects consistent squad inclusion without guaranteed playing XI certainty.
- Rinku Singh – Has held Grade C since 2023-24 based on T20I finishing ability. Remains a specialist death-overs batter in India’s white-ball squad rotation.
- Tilak Verma – Received Grade C in 2023-24 following consistent T20I contributions. Established as a reliable middle-order option in India’s limited-overs setup.
- Ruturaj Gaikwad – In Grade C since 2023-24. Strong domestic record with CSK and India A continues to support annual contract retention.
- Shivam Dube – Holds Grade C as a T20I power-hitting specialist. His finishing role in the shortest format makes him a regular squad selection.
- Ravi Bishnoi – Received maiden Grade C contract in 2023-24. Wrist-spin has made him a primary T20I bowling option across varying pitch conditions.
- Sanju Samson – Has held Grade C since at least 2023-24. Serves as a wicketkeeper-batter rotation option across limited-overs formats at home and away.
- Arshdeep Singh – In Grade C since 2023-24. Left-arm death bowling accuracy makes him a consistent T20I and ODI squad selection across all conditions.
- Prasidh Krishna – Holds Grade C since 2023-24. Capacity to generate pace and movement supports consistent selection across Test and ODI squads.
- Dhruv Jurel – Qualified for Grade C after two Test appearances for India. Included from the 2024-25 cycle as a developing wicketkeeper-batter with strong domestic credentials.
- Nitish Kumar Reddy – In Grade C since 2024-25 following his Test debut. All-round ability across batting and bowling has drawn consistent attention from the selection committee.
- Abhishek Sharma – Qualified for Grade C after eight T20I appearances. Explosive opening batting has made him a first-choice pick in India’s T20I planning.
- Akash Deep – Secured Grade C after playing more than three Tests. Swing bowling in red-ball conditions has impressed selectors across home and away series.
- Varun Chakaravarthy – Returned to India’s T20I setup in 2024 after an extended absence. Mystery spin earned Grade C placement in the 2024-25 cycle based on strong comeback performances.
- Harshit Rana – Debuted across formats in 2024 and was immediately placed in Grade C. 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 franchise auctions 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 appearing in five or more Tests per season.
| Tests Played | Playing XI Incentive | Non-Playing Incentive |
|---|---|---|
| 5–6 Tests | INR 30 Lakh | INR 15 Lakh |
| 7+ Tests | INR 45 Lakh | INR 22.5 Lakh |
Women’s Central Contracts 2026
Indian women cricketers receive identical per-match fees to their male counterparts across all three international formats. The BCCI contract list with salary 2026 women follows a structured three-grade retainer system with annual salaries scaled independently from the men’s framework.
| Grade | Annual Salary | Key Players |
|---|---|---|
| Grade A | INR 50 Lakh | Harmanpreet Kaur, Smriti Mandhana, Deepti Sharma, Jemimah Rodrigues |
| Grade B | INR 30 Lakh | Renuka Thakur, Sneh Rana, Richa Ghosh, Shafali Verma |
| Grade C | INR 10 Lakh | Radha Yadav and others |
FAQs
- What are the BCCI salary grades for Indian cricketers in 2025-26?
The BCCI operates three active grades: Grade A at INR 5 Crore, Grade B at INR 3 Crore, and Grade C at INR 1 Crore annually. 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 annual retainer. This figure excludes match fees, IPL contracts, and commercial endorsements, all of which are negotiated independently.
- 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 in the playing XI. Non-playing squad members receive exactly half of these amounts per match.
- What is the contract eligibility rule for BCCI central contracts?
A player must have completed at least 3 Tests, 8 ODIs, or 10 T20Is in the preceding year. The selection committee reviews all placements annually, with domestic performance also considered for borderline cases.
- 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 differ from the men’s structure but follow the same three-tier grading system.
Conclusion:
The BCCI’s three-grade framework for 2025-26 reflects a clearly structured, performance-linked approach to retaining and rewarding international cricketers.
With Grade A+ removed, indian cricket players salaries 2026 are now distributed across a more competitive contracted pool.
Senior retirements, new captaincy appointments, and emerging performers have all shaped this cycle’s placements in measurable ways.
- Three Grade System – Explains annual retainers across Grade A, B, and C following the removal of the A tier.
- Match Fees Separate – Paid per match format on top of the fixed annual base retainer.
- Incentives Available – Extra Test rewards for players appearing in five or more matches per season.
- Women’s Parity – Equal per-match fees applied across all three international formats.
- IPL and Brands Boost Income – Franchise and commercial earnings significantly expand total income beyond BCCI retainers.
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