Team India batting mainstays Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma will remain in the elite Grade A+ category despite their retirement from the T20Is and Tests, confirmed BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia on Wednesday.
Last month, the BCCI announced the annual central contract for the 2024-25 season where Kohli and Rohit were included in the Grade A+ category along with right-arm seamer Jasprit Bumrah and left-arm spinner Ravindra Jadeja.
"Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma's grade A+ contract will continue despite their retirement from the T20Is and Tests. They are still part of the Indian cricket team, and they will get all the benefits offered under the Grade A+ category," Saikia said.
Ahead of the five-match England tour, which will kickstart India's ICC World Test Championship 2025-27 campaign, Virat stunned the cricketing world by announcing his retirement from the format, drawing curtains on a 14-year-long glorious career.
The 36-year-old made 123 Test appearances , scoring 9,230 runs at an average of 46.85, with 30 centuries and 31 fifties in 210 innings. His best score is 254 not out. Virat is India's fourth-highest run-getter in the format, behind Sachin Tendulkar (15,921 runs), Rahul Dravid (13,265 runs), and Sunil Gavaskar (10,122 runs).
On May 7, Rohit announced his retirement from Test cricket after a career spanning 67 Tests and 11 years.
He amassed 4,301 runs at an average of 40.57, with 12 centuries and 18 fifties. His highest score of 212 came during a memorable home series against South Africa in 2019. He finishes as India's 16th-highest run-getter in the longest format.
In 2024, after the completion of the T20 World Cup, both Virat and Rohit announced their retirement from T20Is.
The central contract is given to players who have either participated in three Test matches or eight ODIs or 10 T20Is. Fulfilling just one of the criteria makes one eligible for the retainership.
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