What Is BCCI's Newly-Laid Rule - "Performance-Based Variable Pay"

The BCCI after India's loss to Australia in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy has come out with a strict rule regarding payments of Indian cricketers. They will be starting with something named as performance-based variable pay structure for the players as per reports in Indian Express.

In the BCCI board meeting was Ajit Agarkar, the chief selector, Rohit Sharma the captain and Gautam Gambhir the coach. Rohit himself had an underwhelming series with the bat scoring just 31 runs in five innings. Virat Kohli scored just 190 runs in nine innings including a hundred at Perth. There are reports that Gautam Gambhir and his entire support staff is under the scanner and their performance will be closely monitored in the upcoming Champions Trophy.

The Indian Express further reported that the move behind introducing the system is to ensure that players are more “accountable” and, if warranted, face a pay-cut based on their performance.  According to the newly-laid system, if the performance of the players are not upto the mark or the expected standards, it would impact on their payments.

“It was one of the suggestions given that players should be held accountable and if their performance is deemed not fit as per expectations, they should face variable pay-cuts,” a source said.

One of the other important issues discussed on the meeting on Saturday was the lack of intent from the players while playing red-ball cricket. There is a growing interest among the younger players to play white-ball cricket and the board feels that this issue must be addressed as the importance of Test cricket should be of great importance for the next generation.

BCCI Introduced New Payment System In 2024

Meanwhile, BCCI's decision to review the payments comes just after a year when they introduced a new payment scale for Test players.  As per the system, players who feature in more than 50% of Tests in a season since 2022-23 would receive a financial incentive of ₹30 lahks per game, and the payout will increase to ₹45 lahks per game for every player who plays at least 75% of the matches in a season.

India lost a Test series at home to New Zealand before going to Australia. The performance of both Rohit and Kohli was underwhelming in that home series as it was in Australia. Former Indian skipper Kapil Dev, however, backed the senior players and urged that the retirement call should be left to them.