The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has announced the annual central contracts for the India women’s team for the 2025–26 season, covering the period from October 1, 2025, to September 30, 2026. The latest retainership list reflects a year of transition and consolidation for Indian women’s cricket, shaped strongly by performances in major international tournaments and a continued push to build depth across formats.
The standout change in this year’s contracts is the promotion of Jemimah Rodrigues to Grade A, the highest tier of retainership. Rodrigues moves up from Grade B after a prolific year in international cricket, where she emerged as one of India’s most dependable batters. Her ability to deliver under pressure and adapt across formats has elevated her status within the squad, and the promotion signals her arrival as a senior figure in the team setup.
Rodrigues joins Harmanpreet Kaur, Smriti Mandhana, and Deepti Sharma in Grade A, all of whom retain their positions from the previous cycle. Harmanpreet continues to anchor the side as captain and middle-order mainstay, Mandhana remains India’s premier top-order batter, while Deepti’s consistent all-round contributions across formats keep her firmly in the elite bracket. The absence of any demotions from Grade A points to sustained performances from the leadership core.
Grade B remains unchanged and features players who form the spine of the current squad. Renuka Singh Thakur, Shafali Verma, Richa Ghosh, and Sneh Rana continue in this category. Renuka has established herself as India’s lead pace bowler, Shafali remains a high-impact opener, Richa provides finishing power and wicket keeping stability, and Sneh’s versatility as an all-rounder has kept her central to India’s plans. The stability of Grade B suggests trust in this group as consistent match-winners and regular starters.
The most notable expansion comes in Grade C, which blends continuity with a significant influx of new talent. Players already part of the Grade C structure; Radha Yadav, Arundhati Reddy, Yastika Bhatia, Uma Chetry and Harleen Deol — have retained their contracts. Each of these players has remained in and around the national setup, contributing either as specialists or squad regulars across formats.
Alongside them, the BCCI has awarded central contracts to several first-time entrants, highlighting a clear focus on future planning. Pratika Rawal, Kranti Gaud, G Kamalini, Shree Charani, Kashvee Gautam, Vaishnavi Sharma, and Tejal Hasabnis have all received their maiden retainerships.
These inclusions reflect strong performances, promising international exposure, and impressive showings when opportunities were provided. The addition of seven new players in Grade C underscores the growing depth of India’s women’s cricket pipeline and the board’s willingness to invest early in emerging talent.
While the list features multiple promotions and new entrants, it also includes notable omissions. Shreyanka Patil and Pooja Vastrakar, who held contracts in the previous season, do not feature in the 2025–26 retainerships. Both players have faced injury-related interruptions and limited availability during the assessment period, which appears to have impacted their contract status this cycle.
India Women’s Annual Retainership Contracts for 2025-26
Grade A: Harmanpreet Kaur, Smriti Mandhana, Jemimah Rodrigues, Deepti Sharma
Grade B: Renuka Singh, Shafali Verma, Richa Ghosh, Sneh Rana
Grade C: Radha Yadav, Amanjot Kaur, Pratika Rawal, Kranti Gaud, Uma Chetry, Arundhati Reddy, Sree Charani, Yastika Bhatia, Harleen Deol, Kashvee Gautam, G Kamalini, Vaishnavi Sharma, Tejal Hasabnis
Overall, the 2025–26 women’s central contracts present a balanced picture of Indian cricket’s direction. Established leaders have been retained, standout performers rewarded, and a large group of young players brought into the system.
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