Amidst the ongoing trend of players prioritising preparations for the Indian Premier League, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is considering revising the pay structure to boost Test cricket's participation.
According to a report in Indian Express, the Indian Board is mulling to bring a remuneration model in which players players who play all the Test series in a calendar year will get an additional bonus apart from the annual retainer contract. It adds that the Indian board has decided to redraft the salary structure amidst the absence of Ishan Kishan from domestic cricket.
"For example, if someone plays all Test series in a calendar year, he should be rewarded additionally, apart from the annual retainer contract. This is to ensure that players turn out for more red-ball cricket. This would be an additional perk for playing Test cricket," a BCCI source said as quoted by the English daily.
The Indian players are divided into four annual retainership grades - A+, A, B and C and get Rs 7 Cr, Rs 5 Cr, Rs 3 Cr and Rs 1 Cr, respectively for the four grades. As per the retainership of 2022-23, Kishan was put in Grade C, while Shreyas Iyer, who is also absent from the domestic arena, is slated in Grade B.
The Indian Board offers a per-match fee of Rs 15 lakh, Rs 6 lakh and Rs 3 lakh for Tests, ODIs and T20Is, respectively.
BCCI secretary Jay Shah has already sent a letter to the players and warned the players for prioritising IPL over domestic, saying non-participation in the latter will lead to "severe implications".
Recently Indian captain Rohit Sharma also sent an indirect message to the players saying the team will prefer selecting players who have "hunger" for Test cricket. This (Test cricket) is the toughest format. And if you want success and want to excel in this tough format then you need that hunger. It is very important. We will give opportunity only to players who have that hunger. You come to know [easily] the players who don't have that hunger, (or) players who don't want to stay here [and play this format]. We come to know that," Sharma said after India took an unassailable 3-1 lead following their win in the Ranchi Test.
"Players who have that hunger, players who want to stay here and perform, [and] play in tough conditions, we will give preference to them. Obviously, it is pretty simple: if you don't have hunger, there's no meaning playing such players," he added.
