BCCI offers annual contracts to 20 players

The Board of Control for Cricket in India is to offer annual contracts to 20 Indian players next season.

The decision was taken by the BCCI's working committee, which met in Kolkata on Wednesday, ending months of speculation about the implementation of the system after current board president Jagmohan Dalmiya replaced Dr A C Muthiah, the man who supported the players' request last May.

According to the board's treasurer, Kishore Rungta, the 20 players will be placed in four categories -- A1, A, B and C -- with players in the A1 category receiving Rs 75 lakh per annum, followed by the A category players collecting Rs 60 lakh, B category Rs 30 lakh and C category, Rs 15 lakh.

A five-member committee comprising the BCCI president, board secretary, chairman of the selectors and an eminent ex-player, to be nominated by the president, will grade the players.

The most interesting part of the contract system is the incentive scheme whereby if the Indians defeat a team higher up in the rankings, their match fees will be doubled. But if they lose a match, half their fees will be deducted.

The team will have to maintain a 51 per cent win ratio through the year, the mechanism for which will be discussed between the players and the board.

Players who don't play in the final eleven will receive only half the match fees.

The system will operate from the next season after it is endorsed at a special general meeting, ahead of the annual general meeting, to be held in late September.

A draft of the dos and don'ts has been forwarded to Anil Kumble, who has been representing the players in dealings with the BCCI.