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Despite being out of international action since late 2023, Ishan Kishan has found himself back on the BCCI’s central contract list for 2024–25. The left-handed wicketkeeper-batter, who missed out last year for skipping domestic duties, has now been slotted into the Grade C category.
This development raised eyebrows as Kishan hasn’t represented India since November 28, 2023, when he played a T20I against Australia in Guwahati.
Understanding the Eligibility Twist
As per BCCI norms, a player usually needs to feature in at least 3 Tests, 8 ODIs, or 10 T20Is during the year to qualify for a contract. However, Kishan didn’t play a single game in 2024. So, how did he make the cut?
A senior BCCI official shed light on the technical reasoning behind this move in a conversation with PTI.
“The period of fresh central contract is from October 1, 2024 to September 30, 2025,” the official said anonymously. “But the assessment year is October 1, 2023 to September 30, 2024. Kohli, Rohit and Jadeja played the T20 World Cup final in June, 2024 and hence at that time, they were all-format regulars. Going by that technicality, they are supposed to be in A+ category.”
He further added, “Similarly, Ishan (2 World Cup matches) and Shreyas played 15 ODIs and a handful Tests in the 2023-24 season and hence got their respective categories.”
BCCI’s Flexibility on Criteria
The same clause also justifies the inclusion of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli in the top A+ bracket, even though they are no longer playing all formats consistently.
The board appears to have applied a more flexible lens this time around. The decision to reinclude both Kishan and Shreyas Iyer reflects that approach.
Shreyas, who has delivered strong performances over the last two years but lost his contract alongside Kishan previously, now finds himself in Category B.
Behind the Scenes of Contract Discussions
The BCCI’s central contract system has four slabs — A+ (₹7 crore), A (₹5 crore), B (₹3 crore), and C (₹1 crore). According to reports, selectors had discussions with head coach Gautam Gambhir and BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia before finalizing the list.
The contracts were reportedly finalized a couple of weeks ago, but the official announcement was delayed for undisclosed reasons.
Meanwhile, Kishan is currently featuring in the IPL 2025 season for Sunrisers Hyderabad. He began with a bang, scoring a century in the opening match against Rajasthan Royals, but hasn’t crossed fifty in any innings since.
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