Ever since he took over the mantle of coaching the India under-19 squad in 2015, Rahul Dravid — just like during his playing days — has preferred to be in the background. It was evident when the former India captain tried to be stay away from the limelight even as his wards celebrated India’s under-19 World Cup triumph in New Zealand, on Saturday.
Ever the team man, Dravid credited the support staff for the success. “We have had a few injuries,” he told ESPNcricinfo . “The way they’ve managed these injuries and handled players has been thoroughly professional. These under-19 boys got the best professional help from the current team of physios and trainers here and at the NCA.”
Being lauded by a legendary cricketer is a huge compliment for the support staff. While a modest Dravid believes in team work, when it comes to acknowledging their efforts, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) seems to have adopted different yardsticks.
Minutes after Prithvi Shaw lifted the glittering trophy, the BCCI announced the financial rewards: ₹50 lakhs for Dravid, ₹30 lakh for the team members and ₹20 lakh for members of the support staff.
Usually, the rewards for the players are higher than that for the backroom staff. In 2012, after the Unmukt Chand-led India emerged triumphant, each player received ₹20 lakh while the support staff members, including head coach B. Arun, was awarded ₹15 lakh.
In 2011, when M.S. Dhoni’s men clinched the World Cup, the BCCI awarded ₹one crore each — later revised to ₹two crore — to the players while the support staff were richer by ₹50 lakh each.
What may have been the reasons behind giving coach Dravid more this time? Does his contract with the BCCI specify a higher performance incentive? Or is the Committee of Administrators (CoA) starting a new trend where the coaches get more, or is the BCCI star-struck?
When The Hindu contacted C.K. Khanna, the BCCI acting-secretary, he put the onus on the CoA. “It is a CoA decision, so I cannot comment.” The CoA members — Vinod Rai and Diana Edulji — and the BCCI chief executive Rahul Johri were incommunicado.
