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

The BCCI operates the most financially powerful central contract system in world cricket.

For the 2025-26 season, indian cricket players salaries 2026 have been restructured following the removal of the Grade A category and significant captaincy changes across formats.

Grade placement determines a player’s annual retainer and reflects their format participation, performance consistency, and role within the national setup.

Indian Cricket Players Salaries 2026

Understanding how grades, match fees, and incentive schemes interact provides a complete picture of what centrally contracted Indian cricketers earn each season.

BCCI Central Contracts 2026

The BCCI Salary Structure for Indian Cricket Players 2026 runs across three grades after the A+ tier was officially scrapped.

BCCI central contracts salary is reviewed annually across 30 men and 21 women currently under active retainer agreements.

Indian Cricket Player Fees [Format Wise]

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 match rate.

ODI Match Fee

Each ODI appearance in the playing XI earns INR 6 lakh. Squad members not selected in the XI receive INR 3 lakh per match.

T20I Match Fee

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

Eligibility Criteria for Contract

A player must have completed at least 3 Tests, 8 ODIs, or 10 T20Is in the preceding year to qualify for a BCCI central contract 2026 salary. The BCCI annual contract 2026 salary assessment is conducted each season, factoring in performance, fitness, and domestic contributions before finalising placements.

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

The breakdown below covers Indian Men’s Cricket Players Salaries 2026 as officially announced by the BCCI on February 9, 2026.

These retainer figures represent Men’s Cricket Players Salaries 2026 in India, exclusive of match fees, IPL earnings, and commercial income.

Grade A Players (INR 5 Crore)

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

• Shubman Gill

Gill has been elevated to Grade A following his appointment as Test and ODI captain. His promotion reflects a prolific 2023 season featuring centuries across formats and a significant expansion of leadership responsibilities.

• Jasprit Bumrah

Bumrah leads India’s pace attack across all three international formats. His sustained match-winning ability across home and away conditions has kept him at the top tier of the contract structure since 2018.

• Ravindra Jadeja

Jadeja retains Grade A as India’s premier all-format all-rounder in Tests and ODIs. He retired from T20I cricket following India’s 2024 World Cup win but continues as a first-choice selection in longer formats.

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Grade B Players (INR 3 Crore)

The indian cricket players salary 2026 list at Grade B includes several former A+ holders reassigned following retirements from multiple formats alongside newer contracted players.

• Rohit Sharma

Rohit has been demoted to Grade B after retiring from Test cricket and T20Is. He continues as an ODI specialist and remains part of India’s white-ball planning for the current cycle.

• Virat Kohli

Kohli moved to Grade B following his retirement from Test cricket in 2025 and T20Is in 2024. He remains active in ODI cricket and retains significant commercial and sporting relevance.

• KL Rahul

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

• Washington Sundar

Sundar has been elevated to Grade B for the 2025-26 cycle after time in Grade C. His all-round utility across Test and white-ball formats has strengthened his contract standing.

• Mohammed Siraj

Siraj holds Grade B status following his Grade A placement in 2023-24. Strong ODI and Test performances, including a 2023 Asia Cup final Player of the Match award, drove his earlier elevation.

• Hardik Pandya

Pandya retains Grade B as India’s primary white-ball all-rounder. He has featured consistently in T20I and ODI squads since returning from injury and remains central to India’s limited-overs planning.

• 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, within the contracted group.

• Kuldeep Yadav

Kuldeep was promoted from Grade C to Grade B in the 2023-24 cycle. Consistent domestic and international performances across ODIs and Tests supported 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 retention in 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 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, confirming his position as a key middle-order batter.

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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 reflects consistent squad inclusion without guaranteed playing XI certainty across all series.

• Rinku Singh

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

• Tilak Verma

Verma received his Grade C contract in 2023-24 following consistent T20I contributions. He has established himself as a reliable middle-order option in India’s limited-overs setup.

• 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 within the current cycle.

• Shivam Dube

Dube holds Grade C as a T20I power-hitting specialist. His finishing role in the shortest format makes him a regular white-ball squad member across bilateral and tournament cricket.

• 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 pitch conditions and opposition lineups.

• Sanju Samson

Samson has held Grade C since at least 2023-24. He serves as India’s wicketkeeper-batter rotation option across limited-overs formats at both home and away venues.

• Arshdeep Singh

Arshdeep has been in Grade C since 2023-24. His death-bowling accuracy and left-arm variation make him a consistent T20I and ODI squad selection across all conditions.

• Prasidh Krishna

Krishna holds Grade C since 2023-24. His capacity to generate pace and movement has made him a dependable option across both Test and ODI squads for India.

• Dhruv Jurel

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

• Nitish Kumar Reddy

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

• Abhishek Sharma

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

• Akash Deep

Deep secured Grade C after playing more than three Tests for India. His swing bowling in red-ball conditions has impressed selectors consistently across home and away series.

• Varun Chakaravarthy

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

• Harshit Rana

Rana debuted across formats in 2024 and was immediately placed in Grade C. His pace and match temperament 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 capture total earnings.

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

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 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 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 retainer. This figure excludes match fees, IPL contracts, and commercial endorsements, which are all negotiated independently of the central contract.

• 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 for each match.

• What is the eligibility requirement for a BCCI central contract?

A player must have completed 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 potential inclusion.

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

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

Conclusion:

The BCCI’s revised three-grade framework for 2025-26 reflects a merit-based approach to rewarding international performance.

With the A tier removed, indian cricket players salaries 2026 are distributed across a broader and more competitive contracted pool than previous cycles.

Captaincy changes, format retirements from senior players, and strong performances from emerging cricketers have all directly shaped grade placements this season.

• Three Grade System – Explains retainership hierarchy across Grade A, B, and C following A+ removal.
• Match Fees Separate – Paid per match format on top of the annual base retainer amount.
• Incentives Available – Extra Test bonuses for players appearing in five or more matches per season.
• Women’s Parity – Equal match fees structure applied across all three international formats.
• IPL and Brands Boost Income – Commercial and franchise earnings significantly expand total income beyond BCCI retainers.

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