Former Indian cricketer Anshuman Gaekwad has revealed that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) will be soon come up with a pension proposal for former players and their families.
Gaekwad, who represents the Indian Cricketers Association (ICA) in the BCCI apex council, said the BCCI President Sourav Ganguly has assured them that he would come up with a proposal soon.
The revision of pension for the former Indian cricketers, pension for former players who have played less than 25 first-class games, pension for widows of former cricketers, and women domestic cricketers are amongst the top long-standing demands by ICA.
Gaekwad told PTI, “It was discussed in the last meeting. Sourav (BCCI president Ganguly) has assured he would come up with a proposal in the next meeting. Not just an increase in pension, pension also for the widows. At the moment it is 25 matches, it would come down to 10 gradually.”
Recently, BCCI announced that the domestic cricketers affected by the COVID-curtailed 2020-21 season will be paid a 50% additional match fee as compensation for the disruption and also hiked their remuneration for the upcoming domestic season and Gaekwad welcomed the move.
Former Test player said, “It is a welcome decision. Not all good cricketers can play for India, not all can earn the same kind of money. At least now they don't have to worry about their livelihood. A lot has already been done for domestic cricket and, it is evident with the depth we have in the national team.”
Gaekwad signed off by saying, “We have seen COVID was there last two years and, there was no cricket. Time has come and, we have to carry on. We just can't keep waiting for things to get normal. You take your precautions and get on with it.”
(With PTI Inputs)
