How much Salary Cuts will Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma take in upcoming BCCI Central Contract?

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is set to introduce a new annual contract for the upcoming season, which may include significant tweaks.

The BCCI has clarified that the apex category of

A+ may be removed, and the stalwarts of Indian cricket may have a reduced pay in the new contract.

"The plan will go ahead very soon," BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia told Sportstar. "We are removing one category because the players who were eligible for the A-plus category are now playing just one of the three formats. The criteria we have set to qualify a player for A-plus are not being fulfilled. "

He stressed it's a cricketing call with "no heartburn," as "some of the players who were in that A-plus bracket have decided not to play in all three formats. Therefore, there are not enough players remaining to qualify and fulfil the eligibility criteria. "

Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma set for Pay Cuts

Two India stalwarts Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma will face a reduction in their contract. The duo have retired from Test and T20Is and are only playing in the 50-over format, which means the A+ grade won't exist anymore due to a lack of personnel.

How much Salary Cut may Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma take?

Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma could face a substantial annual pay reduction of up to Rs 4 crore each under BCCI's proposed central contract overhaul, dropping from the elite A+ grade's Rs 7 crore retainer to the B category's Rs 3 crore.

The shift represents a 57% slash in their guaranteed BCCI income, driven by their focus on single formats-Kohli in Tests and ODIs, Rohit in Tests and T20Is-making them ineligible for top-tier status. Current grades pay A+ at Rs 7 crore, A at Rs 5 crore, B at Rs 3 crore, and C at Rs 1 crore annually, excluding match fees. BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia confirmed this stems from insufficient multi-format players to justify retaining A+.

Similarly, Ravindra Jadeja may have a demoted contract as well. The India ODI and Test captain Shubman Gill, along with players such as Jasprit Bumrah, Axar Patel and Yashasvi Jaiswal maybe placed in Category A.