 "Abhishek Sharma during a T20I series against England. Image: AP")
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is all set to announce the new central contracts for Indian cricketers very soon. While most of the list will be as expected, a few young and promising players might get added even if they don’t fully meet the usual requirements.
Abhishek Sharma set for his first central contract
According to Cricbuzz, one of the names expected to get a contract is Abhishek Sharma, the talented left-handed batter from Punjab, who plays for Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in the Indian Premier League (IPL). He’s been in great form in the IPL and recently scored a record 141 runs against the Punjab Kings.
Abhishek has played 17 T20Is for India, including 12 in the last year, which matches BCCI’s eligibility criteria.
According to the BCCI rules, any player who has played at least three Tests, eight ODIs, or ten T20Is during the October-to-September period can be included in Grade C, which comes with a yearly pay of INR 1 crore. Abhishek meets this T20I requirement, so he’s likely to be rewarded.
Nitish Reddy and Harshit Rana also in the mix
Another young name in the mix is Nitish Reddy, the all-rounder from Andhra Pradesh who also plays for SRH in the IPL. He has already played five Tests and four T20Is for India and is likely to be given a contract based on his Test performances, especially since he was part of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) series in Australia.
Harshit Rana, the fiery pacer who plays for Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in the IPL, is also being considered. He has played two Tests, five ODIs, and one T20I. While he doesn’t qualify in one format alone, he has played enough international matches overall, and that might be enough to earn him a place.
Impact Shorts
More ShortsOther likely names and A+ category stars
As per the report, Varun Chakaravarthy and Shreyas Iyer are also expected to be included in the contracts list. Both players impressed everyone with their strong performances in the recent ICC Champions Trophy 2025. Iyer was dropped from the list last year after he failed to show up for his domestic side despite BCCI’s diktat.
The A+ category, which includes the top players who earn the highest retainership, will likely remain the same with stars like Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Jasprit Bumrah, and Ravindra Jadeja. Rohit, Kohli, and Jadeja have retired from T20Is but are still likely to make the cut for the A+ category.