The new compensation structure, too, bypassed the general body. (Source: File)
The Indian cricket board’s Special General Meeting, scheduled on June 22, will debate on the new player contracts proposed by the CoA that saw the introduction of an ‘A+’ category and a steep pay hike to cricketers.
Under the new compensation structure, five ‘A+’ category players get Rs 7 crore each per annum, while seven Grade A, seven Grade B and as many Grade C cricketers are on annual retainer fee of Rs 5 crore, Rs 3 crore and Rs 1 crore each respectively. “Why did they (COA) bring in a new category? The idea was to compensate the Test specialists, who don’t have the IPL contracts, adequately. And if the top bracket is exclusively for those who are regulars in all three formats, then what would be the adjustments like, if someone is dropped from a particular form of the game?” asked a BCCI official.
He felt that India’s socio-economic structure makes such pay rise exponential. “Also, the BCCI office-bearers had been kept in the dark in the whole process,” he complained. The new compensation structure, too, bypassed the general body.
That apart, they could also disapprove the appointment of the new anti-corruption (ACU) head, Ajit Singh. The CoA okayed the appointment of Singh, a former Director of General Police, Rajasthan, as the new ACU head in March, replacing Neeraj Kumar. It didn’t go down well with a large section of the cricket board. As per the existing BCCI constitution, every Board appointment requires ratification from the general body to be effective. Singh’s employment doesn’t have the members’ rubber stamp yet. “There’s every chance that the members might not agree to the appointment of the new ACU head. The COA can’t take such a decision without calling an SGM.”
As for the new ACU head appointment, the BCCI acting secretary Amitabh Choudhary had written a letter to COA, opposing it. “I am afraid this appointment will not be considered valid until approved by the General Body,” he said. The acting secretary also refused to sign the annual contracts, saying the office-bearers weren’t kept in the loop.
That the umpires now would earn more than the players in domestic cricket — Rs 40,000 per day compared to Rs 35,000 — had come in for sharp criticism from the BCCI old hands like Niranjan Shah. The appointment of the Board’s new General Manager (Marketing), Priya Gupta, could also come under the SGM scanner.