New Delhi: In a significant move to prioritize the longest format of cricket, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has introduced a lucrative ‘Test Cricket Incentive Scheme’ for Indian cricketers. This announcement comes on the heels of India’s impressive 4-1 Test series victory over England.
Series Triumph and Reward
The Indian team’s commendable performance in the Test series against England, culminating in a 4-1 series win, has been rewarded by the BCCI. The board has recognized the players’ efforts by enhancing the financial incentives for participating in Test matches.
Incentive Scheme Details
Under the new scheme, the match fee for players will see a substantial increase. BCCI Secretary Jay Shah announced that players who feature in at least seven Test matches per season will now receive a match fee of ₹45 lakh, a significant hike from the previous ₹15 lakh. Moreover, a player participating in approximately 10 Test matches in a season stands to earn a whopping ₹4.50 crore. This is in addition to the ‘retainer fee’ provided under the annual central contract.
Retrospective Application
The incentive scheme will be applied retrospectively, benefiting players who participated in the 2022-23 Test cricket season. This decision follows instances where players such as Ishan Kishan, Shreyas Iyer, and Deepak Chahar prioritized preparations for the Indian Premier League over adhering to the board’s directive to focus on red-ball cricket.
Scheme Breakdown
- Current Match Fee: An Indian Test cricketer earns ₹15 lakh for being part of the playing eleven, while reserve players receive ₹7.5 lakh.
- Four Matches: Playing four Test matches will yield the standard match fee.
- Five to Six Matches: The match fee doubles to ₹30 lakh for the starting eleven and ₹15 lakh for reserve players.
- Seven or More Matches: Players in the starting eleven for seven or more matches will receive ₹45 lakh per match, with reserve players earning ₹22.5 lakh.
Final Test Highlights
In the last Test match against England, India secured a victory by an innings and 64 runs. The win was marked by a stellar performance from Ravichandran Ashwin in his 100th Test match, taking nine wickets across both innings. England was bowled out for 218 runs in the first innings and 195 runs in the second, while India posted a commanding 477 runs, led by Joe Root’s top score of 84 runs.
The BCCI’s initiative is a clear indication of its commitment to preserving the prestige of Test cricket and incentivizing players to excel in the format.
