Nagpur, May 26
On the lines of BCCI, former India player Rohan Gavaskar has suggested that the country's state cricket associations should start offering annual contracts to its players. However, one of the richest cricket associations in India Vidarbha Cricket Association (VCA) has dismissed this idea as 'not feasible'.
It may be mentioned here The BCCI offers annual contracts to its India players who are graded on the basis of their performance over a 12-month period.
Rohan Gavaskar has suggested that all state associations should have annual contracts with their players like the BCCI does with the Indian team. A,B,C categories. If state contracts are not there then it's impossible to make payments to domestic players in such a situation,
Reacting over Gavaskar's statement VCA president Advocate Anand Jaiswal said, “ There are lot of difficulties in implementing this idea. . The state associations will be able to offer annual contracts to its players only if we get the funds from BCCI. Secondly, BCCI directly give the payments to the players after completion of season. The state associaitons have no role in it to play. This year an extraordinary situation has arisen due to Corora pandemic. Otherwise there is no sense in awarding annual contracts to the state association players.
The COVID-19 pandemic and the resultant closure of BCCI headquarters has led to delays in paying salaries and compensation but it's of little consolation to the domestic players as most of them are yet to receive the Gross Revenue Share (GRS) for the past few seasons.
Vidarbha spinner and experienced player Akshay Wakhare has welcomed the idea but said , “ It requires lot of support from the BCCI to implement the idea. Once the annual contract system started this season by the state association due to the extra ordinary situaiton, it will become difficult for them maintian continuity”, he said.
Vidarbha coach and former junior national selector, Pritam Gandhe said the idea to compensate the players is good but at the same time the question arises who and how the benchmark will be decided since major tournament like Ranji Trophy didn't take place this season. “ Lot of cricket experts and players have given this suggestion. But I think in present scenario there is not base to do the grading of the players”, he said
In a series of tweets concerning the welfare of first-class cricketers, the former player wrote, "How does one determine who would have played the entire season ? Could some senior players have been dropped midway ? "What about the youngsters who may have made their debuts ? Will they not get anything ? What happens to the white ball specialists ? The red ball specialists ? "The state associations need to look after their players. The domestic players are the ones who really keep the game going. They have to be taken care of. Start annual contracts for them." Gavaskar junior's suggestions come even as the country's domestic players await compensation from the BCCI that is yet to be disbursed as state units have still not sent in the requisite details.