Image Credit- PTI
A 100% salary
increase for the senior men’s squad starting in the 2024–25 season has been
agreed approved by the Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA), a move that may
encourage other organisations to follow suit.
At the MCA’s apex council meeting, a recommendation was passed for the state
organisation to match players’ BCCI earnings from the domestic circuit. As a
result, a player’s season-long earnings are practically doubled.
Players at the senior men’s level are currently paid by the BCCI in three
slabs. Players who have played in 21–40 games receive INR 50,000 per day, those
who have played in fewer than 20 games receive INR 40,000 per day, and those
who have over 40 first-class caps receive INR 60,000 per day.
For instance,
Mumbai’s opening batter Bhupen Lalwani, who started in all ten of the team’s
Ranji Trophy 2023–24 games, would have received INR 17.2 lakhs in match fees.
He could have made INR 34.4 lakh if this rule had gone into effect this season.
Lalwani has only participated in 14 first-class games, therefore his current
daily salary from the Ranji Trophy is INR 40,000. Someone who has appeared in
more than 40 elite games could make a lot more money overall.
The MCA gave its players INR 5 crores in prize money earlier in the month. This
was in addition to the cash Mumbai received as a prize from the BCCI for
winning the Ranji Trophy. The transition to match earnings is especially bound
to benefit those who don’t have an IPL contract.
“We felt that
the player should earn more, especially those who play Ranji Trophy
cricket,” MCA president Amol Kale said. “For us red-ball cricket
matters the most as the Ranji Trophy holds a special place for everyone in
Mumbai.”
The MCA has thought
about taking this action before. The MCA recommended annual contracts in
2022–2023 and even established a three-person group to suggest a framework. The
Apex Council failed to approve the former president Vijay Patil’s proposal. The
current president, Kale, succeeded Patil after the MCA had elections shortly
after.