Keeping its promise of giving highest priority to Test cricket, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has decided to give an incentive of Rs 45 lakh per game to all those who would play 75 per cent or more of the scheduled long-format games in a particular season.
As a result, a Test player, who appears in a possible 10 Tests in a season will be richer by a whopping Rs 4.50 crore as incentive apart from a possible Rs 1.5 crore (15 lakh per game) in usual match fee.
The ‘Test Cricket Incentive Scheme’ announced by the board is designed to encourage players to take part in the shortest format of the sport with an additional reward structure on top of the existing match fee for Test matches, set at Rs 15 lakhs.
In response, former India cricketer Gautam Gambhir has delivered a clear verdict on the decision taken by the BCCI to reward players for participation in Test cricket. The former southpaw hailed BCCI for the announcement.
“Freedom from uncertainty is extremely important for performance! Great step!,” wrote Gambhir on social media account X (earlier known as Twitter).
Notably, veteran cricketers like Cheteshwar Pujara and Umesh Yadav, who did not get a contract this year, will be paid their incentive for the previous season. The top cricketers will also get an assured retainer fee from their annual central contracts.