Indian cricket team yet to receive match fees for six months

What’s the story?

It has been over a month since a successful 13-Test home season ended, and the players have separated out into their respective IPL teams. However, the background tussle between the Committee of Administrators and the BCCI is now directly affecting the Indian team: players are yet to receive their match fees and Rs. 1 crore incentive for their hard work in the last six months.

“Usually, we get our dues within a month or 15 days of a Test match but this time, the delay has been long. We don’t know what the reason is but such delays have never happened earlier,” a member of the Test team was quoted as saying to The Indian Express.

In case you didn’t know…

Each member of the Indian Test team gets Rs. 15 lakh each, while those in the squad but not in the playing XI receive Rs. 7 lakh. Earlier, the norm saw the team receiving the money two months after the conclusion of a Test series. In this case, it has been six months.

The heart of the matter

A top BCCI official said that the delays this time have taken because of a number of reasons. There was confusion over the acting secretary, Amitabh Choudhary, had the power to clear the payments, in the absence of an official signatory.

The women’s payment is stuck because of the agreement between them and the BCCI is yet to be signed.

What’s next?

The bulk of the Indian team is currently separated out into their respective IPL franchises, and regroup once their national commitments commence, starting with the Champions Trophy from June 1. Hopefully, the problem gets sorted by then.

Author’s take

While the Indian team has been on song in all three formats, the BCCI, and it’s ongoing tussle with the CoA as well as the parallel war with the ICC over revenue distribution, is affecting the workings of Indian cricket. The CoA brought in a new system of wired transfers to send money to the cricketers. Hopefully, the BCCI is prompt enough to put it to good effect, and send across the players their remuneration, for as glamorous and popular the game might be, in the end, it is a livelihood for the players.