Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma retain BCCI grade A+ contracts despite retiring from Tests and T20Is; Here's the reason

Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma will be retained on the A+ contract, the highest-paying annual grade offered by the BCCI (Board of Control for Cricket in India).

Devajit Saikia, the secretary of BCCI confirmed on Wednesday that the status quo will be maintained.

BCCI annual contracts - top earners

The BCCI's annual player retainership was announced on April 21, weeks before the retirement of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli from Tests. The duo were given the A+ contract (Rs. 7 crore), alongside pacer Jasprit Bumrah and all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja. Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma had already announced their retirement from T20Is after winning the T20 world cup in June 2024.

Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma retain A+ grade

The annual retainership cycle runs from October 2024 to September 2025. The contract is already in its eighth month, and Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma had already played enough matches in the said period to retain their A+ contracts.

Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma - Internationals since October 2024

Any player who features in 3 Tests, 8 ODIs or 10 T20Is in a year is eligible for Grade C (Rs. 1 crore), the fourth level in the pay grade system. Both Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli are comfortably ahead of the minimum threshold.

Retirement from Tests

Rohit Sharma announced his retirement from Tests on May 7. Five days later, Virat Kohli exited from the longest format on May 12. The sudden departure of the incumbent Test captain and India's most successful captain has created a big void in the leadership group. Young batter Shubman Gill is expected to be appointed as the new captain, with wicket-keeper Rishabh Pant to be his deputy. India kickstarts the 2025-27 World Test Championship (WTC) cycle with a 5-match series against England. The first Test starts at the iconic Lord's stadium in London on June 20.