BCCI officials, administrators clash over players’ wages

Friday will expose two faces of Indian cricket – one that reflects the aspirations of Virat Kohli’s team on a long and challenging tour of United Kingdom and the other that depicts bad blood between BCCI’s ‘acting’ officials and the Supreme Court-appointed Committee of Administrators.

Twenty four hours before Kohli’s team leaves on an 80-day tour that’ll see India play five Tests and eight limited-overs games in the UK, the players are not sure if they will get their revised salaries which were decided in August last year.

READ | Great chance for India to win series vs England: Anil Kumble

As per the revised structure, Group A+ was created with an annual retainership of Rs.7 crore. The salaries for other three groups – A, B and C -- were set at Rs.5 crore, Rs.3 crore and Rs.1 crore, respectively.

The players have been caught in the perennial fight between acting office bearers and the CoA, led by former CAG, Vinod Rai. The inordinate delay in clearance (of the revised wages) from the office bearers has left both players and the CoA frustrated.

The acting officials are meeting in Delhi on Friday. They are expected to discuss the new pay structure. Hell bent on getting an approval from the general body, the acting officials are showing a united front against the CoA. The general body meeting, according to CoA, is unauthorised.

The officials feel the new pay structure is outrageous and will eat into the revenue earned by the associations. The Supreme Court is not impressed with the BCCI’s mode and quantum of payments to its affiliated units.

The continuous animosity between the office bearers has not only affected decision making but a virtual free-for-all, especially on tours and allowances.

READ | FIFA World Cup 2018: Yuvraj Singh supports France for Paul Pogba

Rai admitted he is disappointed and will keep an eye on Friday’s meeting, which according to him is a ‘non-issue’.

“To be frank, we have been seeking response from officials over salaries since October 2017, but that hasn’t been forthcoming. It is frustrating,” said Rai.

If the General Body doesn’t approve it, the CoA will unilaterally approve the new wages.

“If they don’t, then I’ll sign and send it to the Supreme Court. They can then keep contesting it,” added Rai.

With more than 15 adjournments in the Supreme Court and the lethargy in executing the Lodha committee reforms have only emboldened cricket officials who are enjoying their long innings at the world’s richest cricket body.