Jay Shah, the Secretary of the BCCI, has unveiled an exciting initiative called the ‘Test Cricket Incentive Scheme’ for Indian players to promote red-ball cricket.
Shortly after India secured a convincing victory over England by an innings and 64 runs in the fifth and final Test match in Dharamsala, completing a 4-1 series triumph, Jay Shah, the Secretary of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), unveiled the ‘Test Cricket Incentive Scheme.’ This additional reward system, designed to supplement the existing match fee structure, comes in the wake of controversy when Ishan Kishan and Shreyas Iyer were excluded from the latest central contracts for missing the last round of Ranji Trophy matches despite being instructed to be available.
Addressing the issue earlier, Captain Rohit Sharma emphasized the importance of players displaying a genuine passion for Test cricket and red-ball cricket to be considered for selection.
The BCCI’s move to introduce the ‘Test Cricket Incentive Scheme’ is not unexpected. The board has earmarked INR 40 crore to be distributed as bonuses among players. The incentive structure involves providing monetary rewards to Test players and potential Test cricketers based on the number of matches they participate in during the specified period.
“I am pleased to announce the initiation of the ‘Test Cricket Incentive Scheme’ for Senior Men, a step aimed at providing financial growth and stability to our esteemed athletes. Commencing from the 2022-23 season, the ‘Test Cricket Incentive Scheme’ will serve as an additional reward structure on top of the existing match fee for Test matches, set at INR 15 lakhs,” Shah wrote on X (formerly Twitter).
The latest initiative aims to reward consistency and commitment among players in India’s Test squad and playing XI. Cricketers who maintain fitness and make themselves available for over 50% of the country’s Test matches in a year will now receive an additional ₹15 lakh per Test as part of the squad. Those actively participating in more than 50% of Test matches in a year will see an increase to ₹30 lakh per match.
The incentive escalates for players involved in over 75% of India’s Test matches annually. Members of the squad will receive ₹22.5 lakh per Test, while those in the playing XI will earn ₹45 lakh per match.
This strategic move underscores the cricket board’s dedication to preserving and acknowledging the significance of the traditional format of the game. In recent weeks, the board has been emphasizing the importance of players engaging in more Test cricket, whether at the international or domestic level. This emphasis comes amidst observations that some players have been prioritizing the Indian Premier League (IPL) over the longer format of the game.
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