Indian Cricket Players Salaries 2026: Grade A, B & C Salary
The BCCI’s central contract system is the primary earnings benchmark for every contracted Indian cricketer.
For the 2025-26 cycle, indian cricket players salaries 2026 have undergone significant restructuring driven by the removal of Grade A+, new captaincy appointments, and senior player retirements across formats.
A player’s grade directly determines their annual retainer and reflects their standing across formats within the national setup.
Indian Cricket Players Salaries 2026
Retainers, match fees, and performance incentives operate as separate income streams, each contributing independently to a player’s total annual earnings from the BCCI.
BCCI Central Contracts 2026
The BCCI Salary Structure for Indian Cricket Players 2026 now runs across three grades after the permanent removal of the A+ tier.
BCCI central contracts salary is reviewed annually, currently covering 30 men and 21 women under active retainer agreements.
| Grade | Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Grade A | INR 5 Crore |
| Grade B | INR 3 Crore |
| Grade C | INR 1 Crore |
Indian Cricket Player Fees [Format Wise]
Test Match Fee
Playing XI members earn INR 15 lakh per Test appearance. Non-playing XI members receive 50 percent of the standard match rate per game.
ODI Match Fee
Each ODI playing XI appearance earns INR 6 lakh. This fee applies when a player is part of the official squad selected for the match.
T20I Match Fee
T20I playing XI members earn INR 3 lakh per match. Players not selected in the playing eleven receive half this amount per game.
Eligibility Criteria
A player must have played at least 3 Tests, 8 ODIs, or 10 T20Is in the preceding year to qualify for the BCCI central contract 2026 salary consideration. The BCCI annual contract 2026 salary assessment is conducted each season, with the selection committee reviewing performance, fitness, and domestic contributions before finalising all placements.
Indian Men’s Cricket Players Salaries By Category [2025-2026]
The section below covers Indian Men’s Cricket Players Salaries 2026 as officially announced by the BCCI on February 9, 2026.
All 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 available retainer following the removal of Grade A+. Only three players currently hold BCCI Grade A salary 2026 status in the men’s contracted group.
- Shubman Gill
Gill was elevated to Grade A following his appointment as Test and ODI captain. His consistent multi-format run-scoring across 2023 and expanded captaincy responsibilities directly underpinned this promotion.
- Jasprit Bumrah
Bumrah leads India’s pace attack across all three international formats. His sustained match-winning performances and leadership of the bowling unit have kept him at the top tier since 2018.
- Ravindra Jadeja
Jadeja retains Grade A as India’s all-format all-rounder across Tests and ODIs. He retired from T20I cricket after India’s 2024 World Cup win but remains a first-choice red and white-ball selection.
Grade B Players (INR 3 Crore)
The indian cricket players salary 2026 list at Grade B includes former A+ holders reassigned after format retirements alongside consistently performing squad members retained from previous cycles.
- Rohit Sharma
Demoted to Grade B after retiring from Test cricket and T20Is. Focuses exclusively on ODI cricket as a specialist batter within India’s current white-ball setup.
- Virat Kohli
Stepped away from Test cricket in 2025 and T20Is in 2024, resulting in a Grade B placement. Retains a senior role as an active ODI player within the contracted group.
- KL Rahul
Returned to Grade B after recovering consistent form and fitness across the 2023-24 season. Was previously in Grade A before a demotion during an injury-disrupted period.
- Washington Sundar
Elevated to Grade B for 2025-26 after progressing from Grade C. All-round contributions across Test and white-ball formats strengthened his contract standing significantly.
- Mohammed Siraj
Holds Grade B following a 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
Retains Grade B as India’s primary white-ball all-rounder across T20Is and ODIs. Has featured consistently in limited-overs squads since returning from a significant injury absence.
- Rishabh Pant
Holds Grade B following his recovery from a serious 2022 accident. Replaced Ravichandran Ashwin, who retired from international cricket in 2024, within the active contracted group.
- Kuldeep Yadav
Promoted from Grade C to Grade B in the 2023-24 cycle based on strong domestic and international performances. Retained in the Grade B tier for the current 2025-26 season.
- Yashasvi Jaiswal
Received a direct Grade B contract on his maiden BCCI inclusion in 2023-24. Consistent Test opening performances have confirmed his retention in this tier for the current cycle.
- Suryakumar Yadav
Holds Grade B as India’s T20I captain and the top-ranked T20I batter globally. Led India to Asia Cup success against Pakistan and remains central to shortest-format planning.
- Shreyas Iyer
Returned to Grade B after overcoming injury and form challenges. Was India’s leading run-scorer during the 2025 Champions Trophy, reinforcing his value as a key middle-order batter.
Grade C Players (INR 1 Crore)
- Axar Patel – All-round contributor across white-ball and Test formats. Grade C placement reflects consistent squad inclusion without guaranteed playing XI certainty across all series.
- Rinku Singh – Held Grade C since 2023-24 based on T20I finishing ability. Remains a specialist death-overs batter in India’s white-ball squad rotation system.
- Tilak Verma – Received Grade C in 2023-24 following consistent T20I performances. Established as a reliable middle-order option in India’s limited-overs setup.
- Ruturaj Gaikwad – In Grade C since 2023-24. Strong domestic record with CSK and India A continues to support contract retention in the current cycle.
- Shivam Dube – Grade C specialist T20I power-hitter. Finishing role in the shortest format makes him a regular white-ball squad selection across bilateral and tournament cricket.
- Ravi Bishnoi – Received maiden Grade C contract in 2023-24. Wrist-spin has established him as a primary T20I bowling option across different conditions and opposition lineups.
- Sanju Samson – Held Grade C since at least 2023-24. Serves as wicketkeeper-batter rotation option across India’s limited-overs formats at both home and away venues.
- Arshdeep Singh – In Grade C since 2023-24. Left-arm death bowling accuracy makes him a consistent T20I and ODI squad selection across all playing conditions.
- Prasidh Krishna – Holds Grade C since 2023-24. Capacity to extract pace and movement supports regular selection across both Test and ODI squads for India.
- Dhruv Jurel – Earned Grade C eligibility after two Test appearances. Included from the 2024-25 cycle as a developing wicketkeeper-batter with strong first-class domestic credentials.
- Nitish Kumar Reddy – In Grade C since 2024-25 following his Test debut. All-round ability across batting and bowling has drawn consistent interest from India’s selection committee.
- Abhishek Sharma – Qualified for Grade C after eight T20I appearances for India. Explosive opening batting has made him a first-choice selection in India’s T20I planning.
- Akash Deep – Secured Grade C after playing more than three Tests for India. Swing bowling in red-ball conditions has impressed selectors consistently across home and away series.
- Varun Chakaravarthy – Returned to India’s T20I setup in 2024 after an extended absence. Mystery spin earned a Grade C placement in 2024-25 based on strong comeback performances.
- Harshit Rana – Debuted across formats in 2024 and was immediately placed in Grade C. Pace and match-day composure 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.
The BCCI contract list with salary 2026 does not capture total income.
The Test Cricket Incentive Scheme provides additional match-by-match bonuses for players appearing in five or more Tests per season.
| Tests Played | Playing XI Incentive | Non-Playing Incentive |
|---|---|---|
| 5–6 Tests | INR 30 Lakh | INR 15 Lakh |
| 7+ Tests | INR 45 Lakh | INR 22.5 Lakh |
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 follows a structured three-grade retainer model with annual salaries scaled independently from the men’s framework.
| Grade | Annual Salary | Key Players |
|---|---|---|
| Grade A | INR 50 Lakh | Harmanpreet Kaur, Smriti Mandhana, Deepti Sharma, Jemimah Rodrigues |
| Grade B | INR 30 Lakh | Renuka Thakur, Sneh Rana, Richa Ghosh, Shafali Verma |
| Grade C | INR 10 Lakh | Radha Yadav and others |
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 BCCI Grade A salary 2026 for Indian cricketers?
Grade A players receive INR 5 Crore per year as a base annual retainer. This amount excludes match fees, IPL franchise contracts, and brand endorsements, which are all negotiated independently.
- How are match fees structured 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 every match.
- What is the eligibility rule 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 all placements annually, with exceptional domestic performers also considered for potential inclusion.
- Do Indian women cricketers receive equal match fees to men?
Yes, Indian women cricketers receive identical per-match fees across all three international formats. Their annual retainer amounts differ from the men’s structure but follow the same three-tier grading system.
Conclusion:
The BCCI’s revised three-grade structure for 2025-26 creates a clear and performance-linked earnings framework for all centrally contracted Indian cricketers.
With Grade A+ removed, indian cricket players salaries 2026 are distributed across a broader and more competitive contracted pool than in previous cycles.
New captaincy appointments, senior format retirements, and emerging domestic performers have all directly shaped this season’s grade placements in measurable ways.
- Three Grade System – Annual retainers based on category across Grade A, B, and C following A+ removal.
- Match Fees Separate – Paid per match format on top of the fixed annual base retainer amount.
- Incentives Available – Extra Test rewards for players appearing in five or more matches per season.
- Women’s Parity – Equal match fees across all three international formats for women cricketers.
- IPL and Brands Boost Income – Commercial and franchise earnings significantly expand total income beyond BCCI retainers.
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