In a significant development in Indian cricket, Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma have now officially announced their Test retirement but will keep their A+ category central contracts, putting all speculations regarding their future status with the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to rest.
BCCI Affirms A+ Contract Status for Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma
Following their Test retirement, questions were raised as to whether Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma would continue to remain in the elite A+ hall of the BCCI central contracts, which has a yearly retainer of ₹7 crore. In answering the doubts, BCCI Secretary Devajit Saikia, speaking in Guwahati, stated that both cricketers will receive the benefits of the highest category.
Both are in India, so there is no issue in removing them from the A+ grade. They will still have all the facilities and benefits of the A+ grade,” Sakiya told.
In addition to Kohli and Rohit, Jasprit Bumrah and Ravindra Jadeja also remain in the top bracket.
Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma Set to Resume IPL 2025 Campaigns
Despite stepping away from red-ball cricket, Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma are set to feature prominently in IPL 2025, which resumes on May 17. Kohli’s Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) will face Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in the opening fixture of the second leg.
While the revised schedule has been released, the venues for the playoffs and the final are yet to be finalized. According to Saikia:
“A call on the venues for the playoffs and the final will be made nearer the end of the league stage.”
Sunil Gavaskar’s Appeal: IPL Matches Without DJs and Cheerleaders
Before the IPL resumed, cricket legend Sunil Gavaskar made a moving appeal to the BCCI. Considering the loss of lives in recent India-Pakistan border skirmishes, Gavaskar appealed for the remaining matches to be conducted without music, DJs, or cheerleaders as a mark of respect.
Let’s just play the rest of the matches silently. No dancing girls, no music. Cricket that would be a lovely tribute to the sentiment of the bereaved families,” Gavaskar said in an interview.
A top BCCI official confirmed that Gavaskar’s idea is being actively considered, but a final call is awaited.
IPL Teams Worried About Availability of Overseas Players
While that is the case, IPL franchises are said to be worried about the overseas players’ availability, as some have national team duties that might interfere with the IPL calendar. That might affect team plans in the decisive later phases of the competition.
Kohli and Rohit’s Continued Presence Vital for Indian Cricket
The confirmation that Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma will retain their A+ central contracts is a strong indication of their continuing worth in India’s limited-overs thinking.
While their Test retirement marks the end of an era, we can still watch them play ODIs and the IPL. There are lots of big decisions still up in the air, Gavaskar’s emotional plea, playoff locations, but right now it is very much about how the BCCI deals with the rest of IPL 2025.
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