New Delhi: The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is expected to announce the central contracts for the 2025–26 season by the end of this week, and major changes appear to be on the horizon.
According to BCCI sources, spin duo Kuldeep Yadav and Axar Patel, both currently starring for Delhi Capitals in IPL 2025, are likely to be elevated from Grade B to Grade A contracts. The promotion comes on the back of consistent performances and key contributions to India’s recent international success.
Kuldeep and Axar played pivotal roles in India’s back-to-back ICC title triumphs—the ICC T20 World Cup 2024 and the ICC Champions Trophy 2025. Kuldeep impressed with 10 wickets in the T20 World Cup at an average of 13.90 and an economy of 6.95. He followed that up with 7 wickets in the Champions Trophy, maintaining an economy of 4.79.
Axar proved his value as a dependable spin-bowling all-rounder. He took 9 wickets in the T20 World Cup and scored 92 runs at a strike rate of 139.39, including a game-changing 47 in the final against South Africa. In the Champions Trophy, he added 109 runs at No. 5 and bowled economically, conceding just 4.35 runs per over. Axar has also been handed the Delhi Capitals’ captaincy and has guided the team to five wins in six matches so far.
Meanwhile, middle-order batter Shreyas Iyer is likely to be reinstated into the central contracts list after missing out last season. Iyer had a standout year, captaining Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) to an IPL title and leading domestic teams to wins in the Ranji Trophy, Irani Cup, and Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. He was India’s top scorer in the Champions Trophy 2025 with 243 runs in five matches and has accumulated 424 runs in ODIs this year at an average of 53.00.
Among the senior players, Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and Jasprit Bumrah are expected to retain their Grade A contracts. Though Rohit and Virat have retired from T20Is, they played crucial roles in India’s white-ball dominance. Rohit scored 257 runs in the T20 World Cup, while Virat bounced back from a slow start to deliver a match-winning 76 in the final. Kohli also starred in the Champions Trophy, scoring 218 runs with a century and a fifty.
Jasprit Bumrah continues to dominate across formats. He capped off 2024 with 86 international wickets, the highest by any bowler, and earned the Player of the Tournament award in the T20 World Cup with 15 wickets at an astonishing average of 8.26. After a brief break, Bumrah has returned to action with the Mumbai Indians in IPL 2025 and remains a cornerstone of India’s bowling attack.
The official list of central contracts is expected soon, but these moves reflect India’s ongoing focus on rewarding performance and maintaining a strong core across formats.
