During the performance review meeting of the BCCI after the BGT 2024-25 debacle, in which India lost 3-1 to Australia in the 5-Test series, a mooted suggestion was put forth to introduce a performance-based variable pay structure for the players, reports have stated.
This review meeting included captain Rohit Sharma, head coach Gautam Gambhir, and chairman of senior selection committee Ajit Agarkar.
The Indian Express reported that the reasoning behind the decision is to make athletes more "accountable" and, if necessary, suffer salary cuts based on their performance. According to reports, the system is designed in the same way how corporate houses appraise their employees annually.
According to the suggested system, if a player's performance is not up to par, it would have an impact on their pay.
“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.
It was only last year that the BCCI implemented an incentive scheme for Test players. According to it, players who have appeared in more than 50% of Tests in a season since 2022-23 will be eligible for a financial incentive of Rs 30 lakh each game.
The compensation climbs to Rs 45 lakh per game for any player who appears in at least 75% of a season's contests. It was part of the board's Rs 40-crore fund for the longest format of the game and was launched to entice players to play red-ball cricket at a time when the T20 format and the Indian Premier League have become highly appealing possibilities.
Other issues raised at Saturday's review meeting included some players placing less significance on Test cricket and "lacking intent" for it, preferring white-ball formats.
The team's management believes that the board must address this issue to ensure that the next generation values Test cricket and the worth of an India Test cap.
“There was discussion whether the current players were a bit indifferent when India lost a Test match. The team management understands the value of Test cricket but many players don’t give too much importance to it,” the source said.
(Indian Express inputs)
