M A I N   N E W S

BCCI cracks the whip
Contracts go, now perform or perish
Shiv Kumar
Tribune News Service

Mumbai, April 7
The Board of Control for Cricket in India today decided to act tough on the country’s cricket players by ushering in a performance-based fee system.

As part of a tough revamp in the wake of the team’s disastrous performance in the World Cup, the BCCI today said it was scrapping the players’ contract system. Instead, players would be paid a fee of Rs 1 lakh for every match they play with a bonus of Rs 3 lakh for every series win.

The BCCI working committee which is meeting here for the second day today said there would be restrictions on players’ commercial endorsements as well. Henceforth, a player would be allowed to endorse just three products at a time. Moreover, all endorsement contracts would have to be approved by the board.

Sources say outgoing coach Greg Chappell had warned against groups of players signing commercial contracts. In his report, Chappell had argued that commercial considerations forced the inclusion of even weaker players along with the top category players if they were doing advertising campaigns together.

On its part, the board has decided to abolish the zonal selection system within a year. A proposal in this regard would be made in the next working committee meeting, which would be ratified by the annual general meeting of the board, sources said.

Rahul Dravid has been retained as captain of the Indian team next month’s Bangladesh tour. Ravi Shastri will be the team manager for the Bangladesh tour. He will also double up as the team’s batting coach.

“It did surprise me but having said that if you look at the state of Indian cricket at the moment, I thought it was a good time to put your hand up and asked to be counted,” Shastri told a television channel.

The new team will have former medium pacer Venkatesh Prasad as the bowling coach while former all-rounder Robin Singh will be the fielding coach for the Bangladesh tour.

Meanwhile, Greg Chappell is reported to have called for sweeping changes to the existing system and “changing mindsets”. “Any half-measures or cosmetic changes at this stage would be like putting band-aid on cancer,” Chappell is reported to have said.

Among the suggestions made by Chappell include a ten-year plan by the BCCI to mould the state of cricket in the country. He called for a revamped selection process with full-time selectors paid for by the board. “It should be right there at the top of the agenda as it is critical to the team’s performance... I still maintain they must have maybe four full-time selectors with an excellent background in the game and they should be paid to do the job.” “Along with the coach, they should be made accountable. The coach and the captain must also have a larger say in the selection matters,” he said.

Meanwhile, Chappell has been given a month’s time to decide on continuing his association with Indian cricket as a consultant or director of the National Cricket Academy in Bangalore.

The offer to Chappell was made by BCCI president Sharad Pawar. Sources say Chappell sought time to make up his mind.

Chappell, who was to leave for Singapore Friday night, postponed his departure as he was feeling ill.

Chappell was taken to the Bombay Hospital in South Mumbai for a routine check-up today.

Hospital’s spokesperson told reporters later that Chappell was not admitted and that he underwent a routine checkup.

The doctors will examine his reports and then decide whether Chappell is fit to fly out of Mumbai.

Meanwhile, the BCCI has issued notices to Sachin Tendulkar and Yuvraj Singh for their comments in the media.

Asked about the show cause notice to Tendulkar and Yuvraj Singh, a BCCI official said there was a code which barred players from making their views public. “I don’t think it’s a big deal.” To a question, he said Dravid made it clear they had not come under any pressure at any time during the World Cup.

Among the decisions taken today was one that would make players be available more for domestic tournaments.

The Board announced the scrapping of regional representatives in the selection committee. The frequency of tours of India A team to countries like Australia, West Indies and South Africa, frequency would be increased.

A Cricket Advisory Committee comprising former captains like Kapil Dev, Sunil Gavaskar, Mansur Ali Khan Pataudi, Ravi Shastri, K Srikkanth, Chandu Borde, S Venkatraghavan and board members have been appointed.

It also decided to appoint permanent manager for two years.

All the state associations have been asked to start cricket academies.