 "BCCI is planning to either raise the value of the central contracts or red-ball match fees. Reuters")
The Board of Control for Cricket in India’s (BCCI) Annual Player Contracts list for 2023-2024 season excluded Ishan Kishan and Shreyas Iyer after both players made themselves unavailable for Ranji Trophy matches. This, however, isn’t the end of explosive announcement as it has been reported that the cricket board is still working out the value of annual retainership contracts and it could see a jump to motivate the players to prioritise Test cricket and Ranji Trophy.
The Annual Player Contracts list released on Wednesday did not include the value of various grades.
As per a report, the value could be raised to such an extent that if a player takes parts in all Test matches in a year, he will be able to make Rs 15 crore which will be same as a marquee contract in the Indian Premier League (IPL) and will enhance the profile of red-ball cricket.
The BCCI is currently in discussion with India coach Rahul Dravid, captain Rohit Sharma and chief selector Ajit Agarkar on how they can make red-ball cricket more attractive, a report in Times of India said.
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One of the recommendations shared with BCCI talks about increasing the match fee of players taking part in Tests and at domestic level in Ranji in order to match the contract vale of a mid-level IPL deal, the report added. The major reason behind such a suggestion is the feeling that the talent pool is drying up for Ranji Trophy as players are looking to manage workload during the red-ball tournament.
“The recommendations are on the lines of increasing the Test match and first-class fees by three times. The idea is that if a player plays the entire Ranji Trophy, he should be able to make around Rs 75 lakhs which matches an average IPL contract. It has also been suggested that if a player plays all Test matches in a year, he should be able to make Rs 15 crores which is at par for any marquee IPL contract,” a BCCI source told Times of India.
Impact Shorts
View AllAs per the current match fees, a player who plays in 10 Ranji matches can earn Rs 25 lakh, while the smallest contract in IPL is Rs 20 lakh. Such a disparity has led to players, especially fast bowlers, skipping red-ball matches.
BCCI’s four grades - Grade A+, A, B and C - are currently valued at Rs 7 crore, Rs 5 crore, Rs 3 crore and Rs 1 crore. Bu this value can increase significantly in near future.
“The board may not agree to increasing the remuneration by three times at one go but they are considering meeting the players at mid-point. Even that should be a hefty raise. This is why the board has not announced the value of contracts. The board will have to decide if it wants to raise the match fees or make specified contracts accordingly,” the source said.