Team India’s star opener Ishan Kishan did not make the cut when the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) published the annual central contract for the 2025-26 season (October 1, 2025 to September 30, 2026) on Monday, February 9. Despite his participation in the ongoing 2026 T20 World Cup, the wicketkeeper-batsman was disregarded.
After making his T20I comeback last month, the 27-year-old led the way against New Zealand in the most recent bilateral T20I series, scoring 215 runs in four innings, including a century.
Sanju Samson, on the other hand, received a grade of C on the yearly retainer list. With Samson out of form, Kishan opened alongside Abhishek Sharma against the United States in India’s first T20 World Cup match.
Fans on X were disappointed that Ishan Kishan did not reach the 30-player list named in the BCCI’s annual central contract for this season. A user wrote:
“Seriously? No Ishan Kishan? Who’s taking such decisions?”
Another user commented:
“How Ishan Kishan is not given the Central Contract? He is in our world cup XI & also has avg of 42 in ODIs & definitely gonna be India’s backup opener & wk at 2027 ODI WC. Don’t say, it is given on basis of previous year. He should have been included!”
A third user added:
“Ishan Kishan still without a central contract! Strange.”
Ishan Kishan was one of the players left out during the 2023–24 season, as he did not feature in international cricket during that period. The left-handed batter had earlier been placed in Grade C for the 2022–23 season. He is set to return to action when the Men in Blue face Namibia in their next match of the 2026 T20 World Cup on Thursday, February 12, in Delhi.
BCCI scraps Grade A+ as 30 players included across three grades in annual central contract; Ishan Kishan notable absentee
The BCCI eliminated Grade A+ for the 2025-26 season, instead categorizing 30 players, including three and eleven, in Grade A and B, respectively. Group A comprised India’s Test and ODI captains Shubman Gill, Jasprit Bumrah, and Ravindra Jadeja. Interestingly, Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli have been downgraded to Grade B. Meanwhile, Suryakumar Yadav, the T20I skipper, remained in the same grade.
