From Shami to Ishan… 5 Unlucky Players Who Missed Out on BCCI Central Contracts Despite Being Deserving

New Delhi: The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has announced its annual central contracts for the 2025-26 season, awarding contracts to a total of 30 players. While stars like Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma have been placed in Grade B and only Shubman Gill, Ravindra Jadeja, and Jasprit Bumrah feature in Grade A, several deserving players were left out. Here’s a look at five such unlucky cricketers who missed out on a BCCI central contract.

Mohammed Shami
Veteran pacer Mohammed Shami has not been awarded a central contract this time. Shami last represented India in the 2025 Champions Trophy before being dropped. Despite consistently performing in domestic cricket, he was overlooked for the 2025-26 contract list.

Rajat Patidar
Rajat Patidar has also missed out on the central contract. Patidar has not been part of the Indian team for a long time, having played three Tests and one One-Day International for India. His absence from the contract list is a disappointment for many fans.

Ishan Kishan
Explosive wicketkeeper-batsman Ishan Kishan, who has been part of India’s T20 World Cup squad, has also been left out. Kishan recently made a comeback in the Indian team after 2023 during the series against New Zealand, yet he did not receive a central contract.

Mukesh Kumar
Pacer Mukesh Kumar, who last played for India in 2024, has also been excluded from the 2025-26 central contracts. He has represented India in three Tests, six One-Day Internationals, and 17 T20 matches so far, but his contributions have not been recognized in the contract list.

Sarfaraz Khan
Domestic run-machine Sarfaraz Khan, who was dropped from India’s Test squad after the 2024-25 Australia tour, has also missed out. Despite scoring consistently in domestic cricket, he was not given a central contract. Sarfaraz has played six Tests for India in his career.

These exclusions highlight the tough competition in Indian cricket, where even consistent performers sometimes miss out on BCCI recognition.