The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has officially revealed the central contract retainerships for the Indian women’s cricket team for the 2024-25 season. Covering the period from October 1, 2024, to September 30, 2025, the list features 16 players, with some key names retaining their top spots and fresh talents making their way into the system.
India’s all-format captain, Harmanpreet Kaur, along with star batter Smriti Mandhana and premier all-rounder Deepti Sharma, continue to be the backbone of the team and have been placed in Grade A. Their consistent performances across formats have ensured their spot at the top tier of the retainership structure.
In Grade B, India’s pace spearhead Renuka Singh Thakur finds her name alongside middle-order dynamo Jemimah Rodrigues, young wicketkeeper-batter Richa Ghosh, and power-hitter Shafali Verma. While Shafali was not part of the recent international assignments, her retention in this category shows the faith the selectors have in her abilities.
Meanwhile, Grade C sees some significant changes. Yastika Bhatia, Radha Yadav, Sneh Rana, and Pooja Vastrakar have retained their spots from the previous list. However, the category also welcomes fresh entrants in the form of Shreyanka Patil, Titas Sadhu, Arundathi Reddy, Amanjot Kaur, and Uma Chetry. These rising stars have impressed with their performances in domestic and international cricket, earning their maiden central contracts.
Annual Contracts 2024–2025:
Category A: Harmanpreet Kaur, Smriti Mandhana, Deepti Sharma
Category B: Renuka Singh Thakur, Jemimah Rodrigues, Shafali Verma, and Richa Ghosh
Category C: Yastika Bhatia, Radha Yadav, Shreyanka Patil, Titas Sadhu, Arundhati Reddy, Amanjot Kaur, Sneh Rana, Pooja Vastrakar, Uma Chetry
Several notable omissions have also emerged from the new contract cycle. Rajeshwari Gayakwad, who was in Grade B, has been left out of the list. Additionally, Meghna Singh, Devika Vaidya, Sabbineni Meghana, Anjali Sarvani, and Harleen Deol, all of whom were part of Grade C in the 2022-23, have not been included in the new retainerships. Among these names, Harleen Deol has recently been in fine form, particularly in ODIs and the Women’s Premier League (WPL), making her exclusion an interesting talking point.
Apart from the announced retainerships, there are a few other players, such as Pratika Rawal, Priya Mishra, and Saima Thakor, who have represented India in recent times and shown promise. However, they have not found a place in the central contracts list for this season.
With the new contract cycle in place, the Indian women’s team is gearing up for a crucial phase. Their next assignment will be a tri-nation ODI series against Sri Lanka and South Africa, set to begin on April 27, 2025, in Sri Lanka. This will serve as a key preparatory series for the ICC Women’s World Cup 2025, which is set to take place in India later in the year.
The BCCI’s central contracts announcement comes after a one-season gap, as no retainerships were officially disclosed for 2023-24. The structure of the new contracts largely mirrors the 2022-23 retainerships, with Grade A remaining unchanged and only a few modifications in Grade B and C. While no official pay structure has been released this time, the retainerships are expected to follow the same financial structure as previous years—₹50 lakh for Grade A, ₹30 lakh for Grade B, and ₹10 lakh for Grade C.
As the Women in Blue gear up for a packed calendar leading to a home World Cup, the latest retainerships reaffirm the BCCI’s faith in experienced stalwarts while also signaling a shift toward investing in young and upcoming talent.
Loves all things female cricket
