The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has released the list of central contracts for male cricketers, awarding contracts to 30 players for the 2025-26 season, which will run from the 1st of July 2025, to June 30, 2026, for all international cricket scheduled within the preferred window of January 1 to December 31.

In a major move, no player has been put in Category A, and 2023 Men’s ODI World Cup captain Babar Azam has been downgraded, with wicketkeeper-batter Mohammad Rizwan to Category B, while almost everyone from the cricketing fraternity has reacted negatively.

Widening the pool

The PCB has cast a wider net this season, increasing the size of the list from 27 contracts to 30 contracts this time. In total, 12 players have been honoured from the new list, highlighting the commitment of the Board to invest in new players for the age-grade levels for the future.

The new contracts are Ahmed Daniyal, Faheem Ashraf, Hasan Ali, Hasan Nawaz, Hussain Talat, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Abbas, Mohammad Haris, Mohammad Nawaz, Sahibzada Farhan, Salman Mirza, and Sufyan Moqim.

Promotions and Retentions

Strong performances both domestically and internationally have resulted in five players being promoted from Category C to B:

• Abrar Ahmed
• Haris Rauf
• Saim Ayub
• Salman Ali Agha
• Shadab Khan

Nine players have retained their positions, including Shaheen Shah Afridi (B), Abdullah Shafique, Saud Shakeel, Noman Ali, Sajid Khan (C), Khurram Shahzad, Mohammad Wasim Jnr, and Mohammad Abbas Afridi (D).

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Players who missed out

Eight players have been disappointed this year, losing their contracts, including Aamir Jamal, Haseebullah, Kamran Ghulam, Mir Hamza, Mohammad Ali, Mohammad Huraira, Muhammad Irfan Khan, and Usman Khan, who were in Category D last season.

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has awarded central contracts to 30 male cricketers for the upcoming 2025–26 international season. No A Category, Babar, Rizwan and Shaheen fail to retain A category, test captain Shan Masood in D category. Shadab promoted. The contracts,…

— Abdul Majid Bhatti (@bhattimajid) August 19, 2025

Complete list of contracted players for 2025-26

Category B (10 players): Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Mohammad Rizwan, Saim Ayub, Salman Ali Agha, Shadab Khan, Shaheen Shah Afridi

Category C (10 players): Abdullah Shafique, Faheem Ashraf, Hasan Nawaz, Mohammad Haris, Mohammad Nawaz, Naseem Shah, Noman Ali, Sahibzada Farhan, Sajid Khan, Saud Shakeel

Category D (10 players): Ahmed Daniyal, Hussain Talat, Khurram Shahzad, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Abbas, Mohammad Abbas Afridi, Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Salman Mirza, Shan Masood, Sufyan Moqim

The lack of a Category A group and the relegation of the highest-profile cricketers from Pakistan represent a daring and controversial action on the part of the PCB. The 2025-26 season has already given fingers crossed for a packed schedule, and we are left to consider the aftermath - how this new structure will affect team dynamics and player performance going forward.

Cricket Ireland has announced its central contract list for 2025 annually, which includes 48 male and female cricketers. The announcement comes ahead of the women’s T20I series against Zimbabwe and the England men's T20I series. The two most prominent names included in the list are Matthew Humphreys and Sarah Forbes, as both are given full-time contracts after an impressive performance.

Humphreys, who was earlier under a retainer contract, impressed in Ireland's historic Test against Zimbabwe and is now upgraded to the full-time squad. Sarah Forbes' excellent work during the ICC Women's Cricket World Cup 2025 Qualifier campaign ensured that she is now included in Ireland's list of the best centrally contracted female cricketers.

Cricket Ireland's central contract format has changed to provide flexibility with various categories like full-time, part-year, educational, and casual contracts based on the individual player's situation. The system also provides for the non-contracted player to be given short-term contracts during the course of the year in accordance with team needs.

Graeme West, Director of High Performance for Cricket Ireland, emphasized the importance of the central contracts in fostering talent across the board. “They allow the players the time and opportunity to access specialist coaching, as well as healthcare and lifestyle support services, which create a more holistic approach to player development. Cricket Ireland’s investment in these contracts helps the growth of our sport through ensuring we are competitive and visible on the world stage—and also through creating role models and heroes to inspire a new generation to enter the sport,” he said.

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Centrally-Contracted Players (2025)

Full-time contracts:

• Men: Mark Adair, Ross Adair, Andrew Balbirnie, Curtis Campher, Gareth Delany, George Dockrell, Graham Hume, Matthew Humphreys, Josh Little, Andy McBrine, Barry McCarthy, Neil Rock, Paul Stirling, Harry Tector, Lorcan Tucker, Ben White, Craig Young
  
• Women: Alana Dalzell, Laura Delany, Sarah Forbes, Arlene Kelly, Gaby Lewis, Sophie MacMahon, Jane Maguire, Cara Murray, Leah Paul, Orla Prendergast, Freya Sargent
  

Part-year contracts:

Stephen Doheny, Fionn Hand, Gavin Hoey, Matthew Foster, Liam McCarthy, Morgan Topping

Educational contracts:

Ava Canning, Christina Coulter Reilly, Georgina Dempsey, Amy Hunter, Louise Little, Joanna Loughran, Aimee Maguire, Rebecca Stokell, Alice Tector

Casual contracts:

Abbi Harrison, Kia McCartney, Jenni Jackson, Lara McBride, Ellie McGee

The BCCI has announced its central contracts for the 2024–25 season, and they include a mix of expected names, some surprises, and a few great comeback stories. At the top, there are no changes: Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Jasprit Bumrah, and Ravindra Jadeja stay in the Grade A+ group. These four are still key players for India, even though Rohit, Kohli, and Jadeja have stepped away from T20Is after winning the 2024 T20 World Cup.

One big name missing is R Ashwin, who retired from international cricket last year. His name being removed from the top group is the only major change there. One of the most inspiring stories this year is Rishabh Pant's return to Grade A. Just over a year ago, Pant was recovering from a serious car accident. He missed more than a year of cricket and was dropped from Grade A to Grade B.

But in IPL 2024 and after, Pant made a strong comeback. He played 10 Test matches, 1 ODI, and 10 T20Is. His return shows his strong will, good form, and the trust the team has in him. Now, he is back in Grade A, joining Mohammed Shami, Mohammed Siraj, KL Rahul, Shubman Gill, and Hardik Pandya.

Shreyas Iyer and Ishan Kishan were dropped from the contracts list last year. It wasn’t just because of poor performance they were also criticized for not playing domestic cricket. Kishan skipped Ranji Trophy to play in a T20 tournament, and Iyer said he had back pain but didn’t make himself available for his state team. The BCCI was clear: if you don’t play domestic cricket when you’re free, you won’t get support.

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But both players worked hard. Iyer had a great season. he led KKR to an IPL win, won the Ranji Trophy, Irani Cup, and Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy with Mumbai, and did well in India’s Champions Trophy win. He is now back in Grade B with Suryakumar Yadav, Kuldeep Yadav, Axar Patel, and Yashasvi Jaiswal. Kishan has also returned to Grade C after a strong season with Jharkhand.

New Beginnings for Some, Harsh Exits for Others

Seven new players have received central contracts, all in Grade C. These are Nitish Kumar Reddy, Dhruv Jurel, Abhishek Sharma, Sarfaraz Khan, Akash Deep, Varun Chakravarthy, and Harshit Rana. They have done well in domestic cricket and IPL, and this shows that India is preparing a strong bench for the future.

Not everyone got good news. Shardul Thakur, KS Bharat, Jitesh Sharma, Avesh Khan, and some others have been dropped. Some were not in good form. Others, like Avesh Khan, did well in T20Is and IPL but still lost their place. Avesh last played for India in November 2024 and has taken 27 wickets in 25 T20Is. But with many new options, he has been left out this time.

What These Contracts Mean

The BCCI has not officially announced the salary amounts, but reports say the payments are the same as last year:

• Grade A+: ₹7 crore
• Grade A: ₹5 crore
• Grade B: ₹3 crore
• Grade C: ₹1 crore

These numbers are not just about money, they show how much the team trusts a player and how important they are for the future.

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Full List of 2024–25 BCCI Central Contracts

• Grade A+: Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Jasprit Bumrah, Ravindra Jadeja

• Grade A: Rishabh Pant, Mohammed Shami, Mohammed Siraj, KL Rahul, Shubman Gill, Hardik Pandya

• Grade B: Shreyas Iyer, Suryakumar Yadav, Kuldeep Yadav, Axar Patel, Yashasvi Jaiswal

• Grade C: Ishan Kishan, Rinku Singh, Tilak Varma, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Shivam Dube, Ravi Bishnoi, Washington Sundar, Mukesh Kumar, Sanju Samson, Arshdeep Singh, Prasidh Krishna, Rajat Patidar, Dhruv Jurel, Sarfaraz Khan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Abhishek Sharma, Akash Deep, Varun Chakravarthy, Harshit Rana

New Names: Iyer, Kishan, Jurel, Sarfaraz, Abhishek, Nitish, Akash, Varun, Harshit
Out: Ashwin (retired), Thakur, Jitesh, Bharat, Avesh, Umran, Vyshak, Yash Dayal, Kaverappa
Promoted: Rishabh Pant (B to A)
Retired: R Ashwin

The BCCI has sent a clear message: If you perform well and respect domestic cricket, your place in Indian cricket is never lost. These contracts are more than just a list. They show who the board trusts and who the future stars might be.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is ready to release the central contract list for the 2025-26 season, and the announcement will be made in the next one or two days. Sources say that the final list has been decided, and the BCCI will release it soon in public. The attention will mainly be on the A+ category, in which the best players of Indian cricket fall. Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and Jasprit Bumrah are expected to remain in this category. Even though Rohit and Virat have retired from T20Is following the T20 World Cup 2024, their remarkable performances in Tests and ODIs keep them well within the A+ category. Bumrah, India's finest fast bowler, is also set to retain his place due to his impact in all three varieties of the game.

The final contracts list will depend on how well Indian cricketers perform in their upcoming international assignments, including the five-Test series against England, starting on June 20. Player performances in these key matches will have a big say in determining the final list. Additionally, selectors and coaches will be expected to review recent domestic performances, which may result in changes to the categories, depending on the form of players in the build-up to the announcement.

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A+ Category: Top Stars to Make No Major Changes

The A+ category, which is known to accommodate the best-performing players in the nation, is also expected not to change much, with Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and Jasprit Bumrah holding their positions at the top level. Rohit and Kohli, even after relinquishing the T20I captaincy, are crucial in Tests and ODIs and thus are expected to remain at the A+ level. Bumrah, with his excellent bowling displays, will also hold on to being one of India's most important players in all formats. Though the A+ list will not undergo significant alterations, the likelihood of including some new names later is there.

Shreyas Iyer, who was left out of the central contract list earlier because of his non-participation in domestic cricket, appears to be coming back. Iyer's excellent show in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, where he finished as the tournament's highest scorer, has favored his chances. His performances domestically have again been in contention for a contract. Ishan Kishan's future remains uncertain as he is a wicketkeeper-batter. Kishan, who was also left out earlier for failing to meet the domestic cricket standards, is not likely to be included this time because of his fluctuating form and failure to play regularly in domestic cricket.

Cricket Australia revealed the men's centrally contracted list for the season 2025-26. The list of 23 includes three new names: Beau Webster, Sam Konstas, and Matthew Kuhnemann.

Sam Konstas made a debut test appearance against India during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, which impressed cricket administrators, earning him a central contract. Opening his Test account as a teenager of 19, he did amazingly well when pitted against world-class bowlers and gave instant returns in his first effort.

Matthew Kuhnemann, the left-arm spinner, played a key part in Australia's series victory over Sri Lanka. He picked 16 wickets in two matches and was also declared Player of the Series. His consistent play has seen him included in the team as Nathan Lyon's reserve.

Beau Webster, who is an all-rounder, impressed everyone with his batting and bowling skills on his Test debut. His dual ability as a medium-fast bowler and off-spinner brings balance to the Australian team. Chief selector George Bailey had all praise for Webster's efforts, emphasizing his flexibility and promise.

The trio takes the place of Sean Abbott, Aaron Hardie, and Todd Murphy, who were excluded from contracts this year. Cooper Connolly, Jake Fraser-McGurk, and Spencer Johnson, who have represented Australia in limited-overs cricket, also did not cut. T20 specialists Tim David and Marcus Stoinis are outside the contracted list but are likely to play in the shortest format.

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Cricket Australia's centrally contracted players for 2025-26:

The list shows Cricket Australia's determination to have a solid team across all formats. With players like Mitchell Marsh and Cameron Green back from injury, Australia anticipates a lively international season.

India’s prominent batter, Shreyas Iyer, recently opened up about his struggles with back issues, particularly after the 2023 ODI World Cup, and how missing a few first-class games last season, citing back problems, culminating in him losing his central contract with the BCCI. Iyer, who captains the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in the IPL, shared that his concerns about his back problems were initially dismissed.

Shreyas Iyer’s Back Problems

Iyer first raised concerns about his back following the 2023 ODI World Cup. Despite his efforts to communicate the severity of his condition, he needed more agreement from the medical staff and team management.

After the World Cup, Iyer’s struggles continued. He noted significant difficulties while playing in longer formats, an issue that was exacerbated by his unaddressed back problems.

“I was definitely struggling after the World Cup in the longer format,” Iyer, the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) captain, said a day before the IPL final against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in Chennai. “When I raised my concern, no one was agreeing to it.

“But at the same time the competition is with myself. When the IPL was approaching all I wanted to see was that I’ve put my best foot forward and whatever planning and strategising we [KKR] did before it, basically if we could execute it to the best of our abilities, we would have been in a great spot – and that’s where we are right now.”

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Return to Competitive Cricket

Iyer’s return to form led to his selection for the first two home Tests against England in early 2024. However, back spasms following the second Test forced him out of the remaining matches. This disruption highlighted ongoing concerns about his fitness and readiness for continuous play.

Conflicting Commitments

Conflicting commitments compounded his challenges. Iyer missed several Ranji Trophy games for his domestic side, Mumbai, while attending a KKR pre-season camp. This decision drew scrutiny, particularly given the timing and importance of these domestic fixtures.

BCCI’s Stance

The BCCI’s stance on prioritizing domestic cricket over the IPL added another layer of complexity. Secretary Jay Shah’s warning to players underscored the importance of domestic commitments. Despite meeting the minimum criteria set by the board, Iyer lost his central contract, a decision influenced by these conflicting priorities.

Injury Management and Communication

Iyer’s communication with the Mumbai Cricket Association indicated his ongoing struggles with back spasms, even though he was medically cleared for selection. This discrepancy highlighted issues in injury management and the importance of clear communication between players and management.

Preparations for IPL

Transitioning from red-ball to white-ball cricket posed its own set of challenges. Iyer discussed the difficulty of this transition and the importance of strategizing and planning to excel in the IPL. His preparations ensured he could contribute effectively to KKR’s campaign.

Talking about his preparations for the IPL, Iyer said: “The transformation from red-ball cricket to white ball, it’s kind of difficult as a batsman and also as a bowler, I feel. It was kind of difficult at the start but once you get used to it, I think you pick up the pace and march on with the other players.”