Overview:
With debates over pay parity and performance-based recognition intensifying, the BCCI’s next steps regarding contract restructuring are expected to set an important precedent for how multi-format and all-format players are valued in Indian cricket.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is evaluating ways to adjust Jasprit Bumrah’s contract after a Rs 2 crore difference arose following the discontinuation of the A+ category from the annual players’ retainership system. Sources indicate that the board may revisit the contract framework to ensure that top-performing players receive fair compensation.
The A+ tier was removed because there were too few multi-format players to justify the highest pay bracket. Bumrah, who had consistently been in this top category since the 2018–19 season, was directly affected. Under the previous system, A+ players earned Rs 7 crore per year, while Grade A, B, and C players received Rs 5 crore, Rs 3 crore, and Rs 1 crore respectively.
Traditionally, the A+ category was reserved for cricketers who regularly played across all three formats. Following the T20I retirements of Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, and Ravindra Jadeja, Bumrah became the only player meeting this criterion. This imbalance led the BCCI to remove the category altogether. As a result, despite being an all-format mainstay, Bumrah has been moved to Grade A, along with Jadeja and India’s Test and ODI captain, Shubman Gill.
“The board is working on how to adjust Bumrah’s compensation. It wouldn’t be fair to reduce his fee from Rs 7 crore to Rs 5 crore. A few other players also appear to have been downgraded despite their performances. There might be a revision in the contract valuations,” a BCCI official told TOI.
Other players have also been impacted by the reshuffle. T20I vice-captain Axar Patel, a key performer in India’s white-ball setup, has reportedly been placed in the B category, previously valued at Rs 3 crore. Additionally, Rishabh Pant, Hardik Pandya, KL Rahul, and Mohammed Siraj have been included in the same bracket, even though they are regulars in at least two formats.
With debates over pay parity and performance-based recognition intensifying, the BCCI’s next steps regarding contract restructuring are expected to set an important precedent for how multi-format and all-format players are valued in Indian cricket.