Thu Apr 17 15:00:00 UTC 2025: ## BCCI to Announce Indian Cricket Central Contracts; Few Surprises Expected
**Mumbai, India –** The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is poised to announce its highly anticipated central contracts for the Indian cricket team in the next couple of days. While significant changes are unlikely, several promising young players are expected to secure spots, reflecting a potential shift in the team’s composition.
Leading the pack of newcomers is Abhishek Sharma, the 24-year-old left-handed batsman from Punjab and Sunrisers Hyderabad. Despite not fully meeting the standard criteria for automatic Grade C inclusion (three Tests, eight ODIs, or ten T20Is), his impressive performance in 12 T20Is within the specified period has seemingly earned him a place, securing an annual retainership of INR 1 crore.
Other potential additions include Nitish Reddy (21), an Andhra all-rounder who played five Tests in the recent Border-Gavaskar Trophy series, easily surpassing the required threshold. Harshit Rana, despite not meeting the criteria in any single format, is also tipped for inclusion due to his cumulative appearances across Tests, ODIs, and T20Is. Varun Chakaravarthy, with a strong T20I record, and Shreyas Iyer, a star performer in the recently concluded Champions Trophy, are also expected to feature in the list.
The BCCI’s decision to make concessions for some players reflects its commitment to nurturing young talent. The existing A+ category players – Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Jasprit Bumrah, and Ravindra Jadeja – are expected to retain their positions, with only minor alterations anticipated in the overall grading structure.
The announcement of the central contracts is expected to be accompanied by updates regarding changes to the Indian team’s support staff. The decisions regarding both contracts and staff have reportedly been finalized recently.
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