Virat Kohli's salary to be doubled: More details here
The BCCI is one of the richest sporting bodies in the world; now its cricketers would soon get richer. According to reports, Kohli and his boys could be among the richest cricketers in the world with their salaries likely to double in the coming season. This hike would put Indian players on par with Australia and England in terms of wages.
BCCI to add Rs. 200 cr to existing funds
The wages of Indian stars as well as domestic cricketers will likely to double, as the Supreme Court-appointed Committee of Administrators is considering adding Rs. 200 crore to the existing quota of Rs. 180 crore set aside for players' wages. The COA is now working on the proportion of money that has to be distributed between senior and junior teams.
Kohli's salary hike proposal gets the nod
The decision comes after Indian skipper Virat Kohli and coach Ravi Shastri along with former captain MS Dhoni made a strong pitch demanding the long overdue hike for players. As per the existing contract, India's Grade A cricketers earn Rs. 2 crore per year, while Grade B stars get Rs. 1 crore per year, and Grade C are awarded Rs. 50 lakh a year.
Why the pay hike was necessary?
Despite Virat Kohli being one of the best cricketers in the world, he is paid a meagre Rs. 2 crore as compared to Australian skipper Steven Smith whose contract fetches him around Rs. 12 crore per year. England skipper, Joe Root is also around the same salary bracket as Steven Smith. It is about time the richest cricket body restores parity.
Domestic cricketers to benefit from hike too
As per the current system, 26% of BCCI revenue is divided in 3 ways, 13% for international stars, 10.6% for domestic cricketers and the rest is divided among women and junior cricketers. However, after Sourav Ganguly's pitch for increased wages for domestic cricketers who earlier earned around Rs. 12-15 lakh will now make Rs. 20-30 lakh per season.
