BCCI Convenes SGM To Discuss Discrepancies In Remuneration Payable To Umpires And Players & Other Issues

BOWING to the demand of some Member-Associations, The Board of Control for Cricket in India has convened a Special General Body Meet on June 22 in New Delhi to discuss issues like players’ contracts, remuneration of domestic players and match officials.

BCCI acting secretary Amitabh Choudhary has issued a notice for the SGM with a rider that “Only office-bearers may represent the member associations”. Niranjan Shah representing Gujarat’s Saurashtra Cricket Association along with Kerala and Kolkata based National Cricket Club has drawn the attention of the BCCI to the alleged discrepancy with umpires getting higher match fee than domestic cricketers for BCCI recognised tournaments.

The CoA on April 12 decided to double the match fee for umpires, match referees and curators. The top 20 umpires will now get Rs 40,000 per day to officiate in matches other than T20s. or the shortest format, the fee has been increased from Rs 10,000 to Rs 20,000. The domestic cricketers, however, are entitled to only Rs 35,000 per day for a first-class fixture.“Though it is welcomed to have raise in match fees of umpires and other match officials, it is indeed shocking and surprising that recommended match fees of umpires would be higher than that of domestic senior players, which has been Rs. 35000 per day. I fail to understand how match fee of umpires can be more than players,” Shah said. Since the last domestic season in 2017-18, each team in Ranji Trophy is getting two fewer league matches than in the earlier format, which is a considerable financial loss to players, ”Niranjan Shah said in a communication to BCCI.In  March this year, the CoA announced the new contract system and compensation structure for Indian cricket, introducing an ‘A+’ grade and handing Rs 7-cr per annum contracts to five players in that category – Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, Shikhar Dhawan, Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Jasprit Bumrah. The retainer fees for Grade A, B and C, too, had been increased to Rs 5 crore, Rs 3 crore and Rs 1 crore respectively. Some BCCI officials, however, disapproved of the process, saying it wasn’t ratified by the general body. (Image courtesy: Google )