CoA, BCCI office bearers spar over cricketers revised salaries

The Indian cricket team members may have to wait a little longer for the announced pay packets and the CoA and the BCCI office-bearers continue to spar over cricketers revised salaries.

The Committee of Administrators, controlling the Board of Control for Cricket in India, had announced a revised pay structure for Indian cricketers way back in March. The BCCI office bearers want a stamp of authority from the “supreme” body of the board – “elected representatives of State associations”.

CoA has been pressing to implement the revised salaries. The officiating BCCI office-bearers want the “mandatory” nod from the executive committee to “implement any revisions”.

The office bearers, meeting in Delhi today (Friday) have the revised salaries issue on its agenda. The CoA has pronounced the meeting “unauthorised”.

The players salary issue in such a scenario is bound to linger on, trapped in the prevalent sparring between the BCCI office bearers and the CoA. Even if the BCCI officials approve the revised salary at their meeting, will CoA accept the approval when it has already pronounced the meeting “unauthorised”?

The Virat Kohli & Co, set to fly to England on an 80-day tour of Ireland and England, will have to wait for the revised salaries.

The CoA in March had revised the players structure and added one more category “A+” for the elite players. An annual retainership of ₹ 7 crores was promised for the top most bracket of the players. The salaries for other three groups “A, B and C” are proposed to get annual contracts of ₹ 5 crores, ₹3 crore and ₹1 crore, respectively.

The prevalent fight between the office bearers has paralysed decision making in the BCCI and the office bearer and the CoA continue to fight in open even on issues like tour allowances, officials roles and remunerations.

The CoA is accusing the BCCI’s officiating office bearers for the delay in the implementing the revised salary structure. “To be frank, we have been seeking a response from officials over salaries since October 2017, but that hasn’t been forthcoming. It is frustrating,” national daily Hindustan Times has quoted CoA supremo Vinod Rai as saying.

The CoA is also ready to enforce its might if the salary issue is not resolved by the BCCI general body. “If they (the BCCI general body) don’t, then I’ll sign and send it to the Supreme Court. They can then keep contesting it,” added Rai.

CoA, BCCI office bearers spar over cricketers revised salaries