Ishan Kishan Not Being in BCCI’s Central Contract Despite a Series of Good Performances Leaves Fans Disappointed

In 35 T20Is so far, Ishan Kishan has accumulated 1,011 runs, averaging 33.70 with a 137.65 strike rate, including one century and seven fifties.

Ishan Kishan Not Being in BCCI’s Central Contract Despite a Series of Good Performances Leaves Fans Disappointed

Ishan Kishan failed to make it to the BCCI's Central Contract list. (via RevSportz)

In Short
  • Ishan Kishan was excluded from the BCCI’s Central Contract list despite strong recent performances.
  • Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli were demoted to Grade B in the new contract list, with the Grade A+ category removed.
  • Fans expressed disappointment and concern over Kishan's omission, fearing it could impact his career and morale.

Indian T20I opener Ishan Kishan’s exclusion from the BCCI’s Central Contract list, despite his current blistering form, has left cricket fans disappointed. The left-hander failed to secure a Grade C contract, a fate also shared by others like Mohammed Shami and Sarfaraz Khan.

The BCCI recently released its Central Contract list for the ongoing 2025-26 cycle. Perhaps the most significant change has been Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli‘s demotion to Grade B, with the elite Grade A+ category being removed. The two legends find themselves even behind Grade A contract-earners, Shubman Gill, Jasprit Bumrah, and Ravindra Jadeja, given the fact that they only remain active in ODIs. 

Ishan Kishan, who is a part of India’s 2026 T20 World Cup squad, is a surprising omission from the Central Contract list. The wicket-keeper batsman has been in the headlines ever since he made his return to the Indian T20I setup for the series against New Zealand. Kishan’s return was a result of his great form in the 2025-26 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, where he led Jharkhand to the title, while finishing as the top-getter with 517 runs in ten innings at an average of 57.44. 

On his return to Team India colors, the left-hander scored 215 runs in the four appearances against the Kiwis, at an average of 53.75 and a remarkable strike-rate of 231.18. Kishan even recorded his maiden T20I ton in the final match against NZ in Thiruvananthapuram, while managing to force regular opener Sanju Samson out of the playing XI to become India’s new opener in the shortest format.

Moreover, it is not something that the left-hander has faced for the first time, with Kishan being removed from the 2023-24 Central Contract list for not adhering to the BCCI’s directive of playing domestic cricket. While he did make a return with Grade C retainership in 2024-25, the Jharkhand-born player finds himself out once again. Ishan Kishan is yet to fulfill the criteria of playing 3 Tests, 8 ODIs or 10 T20Is in the cycle, with him only having featured in five T20Is so far. 

Apart from Kishan, veteran pacer Mohammed Shami is another player who finds himself out of the contract list. Rajat Patidar, Sarfaraz Khan and Mukesh Kumar were the other players who have not been retained, in the 2025-26 BCCI Central Contract list. 

Fans fear for Ishan Kishan’s career after surprising BCCI contract omission

Despite having made a return to the Indian T20I setup after a two-year absence, Ishan Kishan still failed to retain his place in the BCCI Central Contract list. He is currently playing for the Men in Blue in the 2026 T20 World Cup, as the first-choice opener with Abhishek Sharma. 

Ishan Kishan fans
Fans slammed the BCCI for not rewarding Ishan Kishan with a Central Contract. (via X)

His omission has sparked concern among fans, who believe that the 27-year-old could still be dropped from the team anytime in case he encounters a lean patch of form. Some fans suggested that Kishan might not be in the BCCI’s plans, with the team management looking towards Shubman Gill in the future. Fans stated that the left-hander’s morale could take a hit after being denied a central contract. 

A section of fans, however, reasoned that Ishan Kishan’s exclusion is justified, given he has not played many games in the 2025-26 cycle. Some fans exclaimed that players like Rinku Singh, Ruturaj Gaikwad and Ravi Bishnoi have also not featured in many matches, but still find a place in the list. Kishan could still secure a BCCI Contract, if he features in all matches for India at the ongoing T20 World Cup. 

Some fans also alleged regional bias, claiming that Kishan would have received a contract had he played for Delhi, Mumbai, or Punjab. The Jharkhand-born player has so far played in India’s T20 WC opener against the USA, where he only scored 20 runs off 16 balls.

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