Published: Apr 03, 2017, 07:47 PM (IST)
Edited: Apr 03, 2017, 07:47 PM (IST)
Even after a handsome pay hike recently, Virat Kohli and the Indian cricket team is unhappy. According to reports, Kohli has asked the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) for annual retaining money amounting to INR 5 crores for Grade A cricketers, citing the reason that Indian cricketers are underpaid compared to global standards. Recently, the Committee of Administrators (COA) decided to double-up the amount of contract of all the 32 centrally-contracted cricketers. The likes of Kohli, Dhoni and five of their teammates now draw INR 2 crores, while the B and C grade players get INR 1 crore and INR 50 lakh respectively. The COA has called for a meeting in regards to the demand made on April 5, 2017, and has not rejected it straight away. READ: CoA to meet BCCI office-bearers on April 5
A BCCI insider revealed to Firstpost, “Kohli — supported by coach Anil Kumble — argued that while cricketers in England, Australia and South Africa could pick up a purse worth Rs 10-12 crores (inclusive of retainer fee and match fee), a top Indian cricketer would earn a maximum of Rs 4-5 crores (inclusive of retainer fee and match fee). The Indian skipper made it clear it was grossly unacceptable, at a time when the BCCI earned the maximum and was lobbying for a lion’s share from revenues of International Cricket Council (ICC).”
“Kohli and his men, along with Kumble, even talked about bonus for the cricketers and how Indian cricketers earned less than some of their counterparts. It is an interesting move and a well-planned one because Kohli has kept the interests of some of the seasoned campaigners in the side. He has not annoyed anyone, nor has he gone overboard to please some. He has even thought of forming a players association to keep alive interests of those in various formats of the game.”
The COA is known to have asked the cricketers to wait until the conclusion of Indian Premier League (IPL) 10.
