Bonanza awaits Indian players

Indian players might be unhappy with the severe cut in their retainers from Rs 20-50 lakh to a flat Rs five lakh each, but they stand to reap rich rewards if they consistently emerge on the winning side in Tests and ODIs as per the bonus formula worked out by the Board of Control for Cricket in India.

India, who have already played three Tests and 17 ODIs from October 2006 when the new contract period started, are set to feature in a total of 20 Tests and between 58 and 62 ODIs in the next 17 months till September 2008.

Of these, 6 Tests and 12 ODIs are scheduled to be held at home while the team is set to play 14 Tests and a minimum of 46 ODIs away which includes the tri-series in Australia and the Asia Cup in Pakistan as per the ICC's Future Tours Programme.

In addition to the match fees of Rs 2.5 and Rs 1.5 lakh per Test and ODI respectively, the players stand to gain big with individual and team bonuses for victories and draws in Tests and wins in ODIs.

The two ODI series wins over the West Indies (3-1) and Sri Lanka (2-1) at home in January and February this year entitles the team to bonus amounts of Rs one crore.

A player who has figured in all five home ODI wins will also get Rs 12.5 lakh.

The team's lone victory in the World Cup over lowly Bermuda will also fetch the playing eleven Rs 2.5 lakh each as bonus apart from their match fees.

India has seven Test matches coming up till September next year, including home matches against Pakistan and South Africa.

Victories in these two home series would boost the team bonus by Rs 1.5 crore, if the same formula continues from October 1 this year.

The squad can set the winning tone by clinching both the ODI and Test series later this month in Bangladesh and be richer by Rs 1.95 crore as a whole, in addition to individual player bonuses.

Then follows the three-match ODI series against South Africa in Ireland and a three-Test and best-of-seven ODI series against hosts England between late June and early September.

The World 20-20 championship follows in September in South Africa, but the Board has not yet specified the payment formula for this tournament.

India return home to take on Australia in a seven-match ODI series in October followed by a full series against the visiting Pakistanis featuring three Tests and five ODIs in November-December before leaving for Australia for a full tour.

The series Down Under will involve four Tests against the mighty Aussies from December-end followed by the annual tri-series featuring India, Australia and Sri Lanka that ends in early March 2008.

On their return the squad will be confronted by South Africa in a three-Test rubber at home before the Asia Cup follows in Pakistan in April next.

A tour of Zimbabwe (2 Tests and 3 ODIs) has been penciled in for May to be followed by a full tour of Sri Lanka after a long gap involving three Tests and five ODIs in July-August 2008.

The BCCI has maintained that the players can earn more under the new formula but the rider which comes with the carrot is that the team has to win more matches and series.

But it all boils down to whether the players are willing to sign the contracts in the present form or would seek changes to some of the clauses and what would be the BCCI's response if the players want alterations.