Shreyas Iyer, the in-form Indian batter, is on the verge of reclaiming his BCCI central contract as the Indian cricket board gears up to unveil its list of retained players for the 2024-25 season. The announcement, anticipated to be made this week, marks a significant return for Iyer, who has been pivotal in India’s recent successes.
The decision comes in the wake of a planned meeting on March 29 in Guwahati between BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia, India’s head coach Gautam Gambhir, and chief selector Ajit Agarkar. Gambhir, who recently led India to victory in the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy, is currently vacationing with his family in France. The meeting is set to happen just a day before Guwahati hosts the IPL clash between Rajasthan Royals and Chennai Super Kings on March 30.
While the re-attainment of the contract seems certain for Iyer, the same cannot be said for Ishan Kishan. Both players faced exclusion from last year’s contract list after skipping domestic matches, a move against the BCCI’s mandate. A source revealed to TOI, “Shreyas is set to regain his contract, and it will be in a top category. However, discussions are still ongoing on Ishan’s case.”
Iyer proved his worth by being the highest run-scorer for India during their triumphant campaign in the 2025 Champions Trophy, amassing 243 runs in five matches at an average of 48.60, including two half-centuries. Contrarily, Kishan, in a remarkable display, scored a blazing 106 not out off 47 balls during his debut for Sunrisers Hyderabad in the IPL-2025 against Rajasthan Royals on March 23.
Another critical discussion point will be the status of India’s cricket stalwarts Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and Ravindra Jadeja in the highest A+ category of central contracts, despite their retirement from T20Is. A BCCI source confirmed, “All three will be retained in the highest category, along with Jasprit Bumrah.” Rohit Sharma is set to captain India during the upcoming five-Test tour of England this summer.
The versatile Axar Patel, whose performances have seen a significant rise over recent years, is likely to see a promotion from Grade B to Grade A. Patel has been instrumental in India’s ICC victories over the past two years and serves as the vice-captain of the T20 side.
The “mystery spinner” Varun Chakravarthy is another name set to secure his maiden BCCI contract following his impactful performance in the 2025 Champions Trophy, where he took nine wickets in just three matches. Joining him will be the promising young allrounder Nitish Kumar Reddy and opener Abhishek Sharma. Reddy showcased his talent in the 2024-25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy, featuring in all five Tests and scoring his maiden century at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. Sharma, on the other hand, blasted a stunning 135 off just 54 balls against England in the fifth T20I at the Wankhede Stadium earlier this year.
Meanwhile, the name of former great Ravichandran Ashwin will be removed from the list of BCCI’s centrally-contracted players following his retirement announcement during India’s tour of Australia last winter.