BCCI to enforce contract, gradation system by October
Board for Control of Cricket Board wants to implement the path-breaking contract and gradation of payment system for the players by October but before that it would like to have a detailed interaction with the cricketers on the proposals.
"We plan to implement the new system by October or even before that though a final decision will be taken only after the response from the players was received," Jagmohan Dalmiya, President of BCCI, said in Kolkata on Sunday.
If all goes as per plans, the new system should be in place before the start of the West Indies' return tour of India in October.
The new system, approved by the Board's working committee in Kolkata on June 19, proposes a carrot and stick policy with players getting bonus for a victory, but losing 50 per cent of their match fees in case of a loss.
Subsequently, the proposals have been sent to the players for their approval through Anil Kumble, who has been in touch with the Board on behalf of the players since the idea of contract and graded system was floated late last year.
"The Board is open for suggestions and we are not rigid on our proposals though it has been made after taking into consideration every aspect of the game," Dalmiya said.
The Board president said if the players come with some minor changes, it can be incorporated and the new system will be enforced but if there are more suggestions then, 'we are even prepared to sit with them to give a final shape to the entire proposal'.
Dalmiya said the proposed system would be the first of its kind, which incorporates both the bonus and the penalty clauses in it. But he emphasised that the Board would enforce the system only after a consensus on the same.
"Our relation with the players at present is very good and we want to take it further ahead by enforcing this new system after a mutual agreement on the same," Dalmiya said.
Brushing aside criticism from certain quarters on the proposal to dock match fee of all players for a loss, he said, "The system offers bonus to the players for good performance and no bonus comes without penalty. Even the players' commercial contracts have penalty clause."
He further explained that under the proposed system, even a 35 to 40 per cent success by the team will ensure that the players would get the current level of match fee of Rs 200,000 per one-dayer, while the annual retainership amount will be additional.
Under the new system, a pool of 20 top cricketers will be created, who will enter into an annual contract with the Board for a fixed annual retainership on the basis of gradation.
The players would be divided into four grades of A1, A, B and C with retainership of Rs 7.5 million, Rs 6 million, Rs 3 million and Rs 1.5 million respectively.
Players with, 'extraordinary performance' will be placed in grade 'A1'. Asked whether the new system had any clause about the players' commercial contract, he said only one point has been included that their contracts should not come in conflict with the interest of the Board's existing sponsors.
Also read:
- BCCI offers annual contracts to 20 players
- Finally, BCCI goes down the contract road - Faisal Shariff
Contract system - The complete coverage
Mail Cricket Editor
