BCCI to cut player salaries for poor performance

Amid growing concerns over the Indian cricket team's recent performance, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is reportedly considering introducing a new system where players' pay will be linked to their individual performances.

Under the proposed system, players will face variable pay cuts if their performances do not meet expectations.

This move follows disappointing results in Test series against New Zealand and Australia, and the Indian board appears to be shifting towards a more corporate-style structure, where both rewards and penalties are based on performance.

The BCCI has already implemented a performance-based reward system.

Players who feature in more than 50% of Test matches in a season since 2022-23 are eligible to receive an incentive of Rs 30 lakh per game, with those appearing in at least 75% of matches earning Rs 45 lakh per game.

This system aims to encourage players to prioritise Test cricket, though concerns have been raised about players not valuing the longest format as much as white-ball cricket.

"There was discussion about whether the current players were a bit indifferent when India loses a Test match. The team management understands the value of Test cricket, but many players don't give it enough importance," an anonymous source revealed.

The BCCI has been urged by the team management to address this issue, with the goal of ensuring that future generations of cricketers value a Test cap more than a white-ball career.

Moreover, following India’s disappointing performance in the Test series against New Zealand, the BCCI has reportedly decided to bar the families of cricketers from accompanying them on tours, aiming to improve team performance.

The decision comes after India’s crushing 0-3 loss to the Kiwis at home and their defeat in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy series in Australia, where they lost 1-3.

The BCCI’s ruling followed a review meeting held in Mumbai on Saturday, which was attended by board officials, head coach Gautam Gambhir, chief selector Ajit Agarkar, and captain Rohit Sharma, according to reports from Hindustan Times.

The board has reintroduced a policy that was previously scrapped during the COVID-19 pandemic, stipulating that cricketers' wives and families will no longer be allowed to travel with them during tours.

This new restriction is based on the belief that having families accompany players, particularly on international tours, can negatively affect their focus and performance.

Under the revised guidelines, family members will only be permitted to join the players if the tour lasts more than 45 days, and even then, they will be allowed to stay for just two weeks. For shorter tours, family visits will be limited to a week.