BCCI digitalises players payments, assures no more delays in domestic cricketers’ payments.

The Indian cricket board has introduced digitalisation of payment process to players, associations.

“Players don’t need our approval to receive their match fees anymore. For us players getting match fees on time is the priority. It will be a kind of blanket payment and an easy process will be followed,” the BCCI secretary Jay Shah told The Indian Express.

Earlier, the Indian board had the system where players used to raise invoices to their respective state units, who would forward it, after approval to the concerned BCCI staff, who would then send it to the BCCI office bearers for approval. Only then payments used to be released. Not only a lot of paperwork was involved, but at times, as happened in the past, due to logistical issues, players’ payments have been delayed. With digitalisation, the BCCI assures there won’t be any delays.

The BCCI has three slabs for junior and senior players. Senior players, who have played up to 20 matches, are entitled to get Rs 40,000 per day while reserves get rupees Rs 20,000 per day. Those who are in playing eleven and have featured in 21 to 40 matches will now be paid Rs 50,000 (Rs 25,000 for reserves) while players who have played more than 40 matches will be entitled to receive Rs 60,000, with the reserves slated to get Rs 30,000.

This means a senior domestic player will earn Rs 2,40,000 per game. In turn, a domestic player who plays a minimum of 50 days of domestic cricket in one season earns Rs 30 lakh.

“Players don’t need our approval to receive their match fees anymore. For us players getting match fees on time is the priority. It will be a kind of blanket payment and an easy process will be followed,” the BCCI secretary Jay Shah told The Indian Express. (File) “Players don’t need our approval to receive their match fees anymore. For us players getting match fees on time is the priority. It will be a kind of blanket payment and an easy process will be followed,” the BCCI secretary Jay Shah told The Indian Express. (File)

The board decision to move towards digitisation has come after there have been many instances in the past where BCCI received complaints of delay in payments of players of various state associations. The players had to wait for payments for months as their respective state associations either didn’t raise players invoices in time or made errors in the same.

A case in point, as reported by this newspaper in 2021, involved the Bihar U-23 cricketers. Prashant Singh, a u-23 Bihar cricketer, would repeatedly check his phone to see if a text message from his bank had dropped in. For two years since 2019, he hadn’t got the match fees (about 8 lakhs) from BCCI. His father had died in 2016, elder brother had tested Covid-19 positive, and “I don’t know where I will get my money from”. That was then. In the Bihar U-23 cricketers’ case then, the delay was attributed to ‘error in submitting vouchers’ by the state unit to the BCCI. Those kinds of logistical issues won’t rise any longer, the BCCI feels, with digitalisation.

The New Digitalisation Process

Advertisement

Through this upgradation of their system, the players and state associations will now be guaranteed of minimal paperwork and reduced timeline to process invoices. For this the BCCI has adopted Database Management System (DMS).

The invoices for players across all age groups (men and women) will be submitted monthly instead of completion of the tournament. The players can avail of monthly payments based on the number of matches played in a month.

“Players themselves will now be able to raise invoices as per their convenience at any location through the online portal,” Shah added.

Advertisement

Many state associations used to wait till the time of submission of invoices by all players for the tournament. However, it’s not needed now as players can use e-portal and the associations have flexibility to approve players’ claims on a regular basis. The board, state associations, players can track the details of their invoices online and the payment status.

Dhanraj Nathwani elected as GCA new president

The Gujarat Cricket Association (GCA) has finally got their president after three years as Dhanraj Parimal Nathwani was unanimously elected as president of GCA on Saturday. Nathwani has served as vice-president of the GCA in the past. Hemantbhai Contractor will be the Vice-President, Anilbhai Patel will be the Secretary while Mayurbhai Patel will be the Joint- Secretary. Bharat Zaveri will be the Treasurer with immediate effect of GCA.

Click here to read article