The Hindu : Sport / Cricket : Well within 13 per cent

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Saturday, Sep 29, 2007
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Sport - Cricket

Well within 13 per cent

Special Correspondent

Mumbai: The fat pay package the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has announced for its upper crust players, a substantial increase for the middle-level and an entry-level fee for the fringe players are well within the 13 per cent of the gross receipts it has been disbursing in the last three years.

After the 2003 World Cup in South Africa, the BCCI decided to earmark 26 per cent of its gross receipts to the National cricketers (13 per cent), first class cricketers (11.6) and junior cricketers (1.4).

In fact, a committee consisting of four senior players recommended Rs. 60 lakhs to Grade ‘A’ players, but following a mild protest from some members of the Indian team, the committee agreed to reduce the retainership by Rs. 10 lakhs and advised the BCCI to allocate Rs. 5 lakhs each, half of it to the middle and lower end group of players. Finally, the BCCI arrived at a sum of Rs. 50 lakhs for Grade ‘A’ players, Rs. 35 lakhs for Grade ‘B’ players and Rs. 20 lakhs for Grade ‘C’ players.

Substantial money

The BCCI was left with substantial money of the 13 per cent even after disbursing the retainership and match fees.

As a result, the players received an additional sum on the basis of the number of Test matches and one-day internationals they had played in the year.

On Thursday, the BCCI decided to increase the retainership sum and also create an entry-level group of 11 players; all this will cost the BCCI Rs. 10.80 crores for the initial list of 33 players.

Those who represent India in Test and one-day international matches will receive their match fee, which itself will be sizeable. There is every possibility that the BCCI will have money to spare to exhaust the 13 per cent share allocated to the Indian players.

According to the projected figures announced by the BCCI Treasurer, N. Srinivasan, after its Finance Committee meeting in Mumbai recently, the BCCI expects gross revenue of Rs. 862 crore for the fiscal ending March 2008, which will make it the richest cricket Board in the World.

The gross revenue was Rs. 652 crores for 2006-07 as against Rs. 430 crores for 2005-06.

Creating an entry-level group was on the cards anyway, after the Special Advisory Council comprising seven former India captains advised the BCCI to choose a group of 25 to 30 players after India’s exit from the World Cup in the West Indies.

“Rahul Dravid (former India captain) also backed the suggestion, ” said a BCCI official.

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