In order to encourage more players to participate and reduce pullouts, Sunil Gavaskar asked the BCCI to implement the recently introduced Tests incentive scheme in domestic cricket.
On Friday, Sunil Gavaskar, a former captain of India, pleaded with the BCCI to implement the newly introduced Test incentive scheme in domestic cricket. He claimed it would inspire more players to play and result in fewer pullouts. Following the five-Test series against England, the BCCI declared its incentive programme and released a list of players who had been awarded contracts for the October 2023–September 2024 term. The announcement stated that players who participate in 75% of India’s Test matches, both at home and abroad, might earn up to Rs 60 lakh every game.
On the sidelines of an event celebrating The Champs Foundation’s 25 years, Gavaskar told the media, “I think what Rahul Dravid said, when it was announced in Dharamsala, that he would like to call it a reward.”
“The BCCI’s decision to reward the players is fantastic, but I would also ask them to see to it that the Ranji Trophy, which serves as a feeder squad for the Test team, is also taken care of.
There will undoubtedly be a lot more players participating in Ranji Trophy matches and a lot fewer pullouts if the entry fees are doubled or tripled. This is because fewer players will withdraw from Ranji Trophy matches for a variety of reasons if the entry fees are competitive.
“They will all be wanting to play with the slab system — every 10 first-class matches you get that much more, so I would request the BCCI to look at that aspect as well.”
The Indian cricket board has placed focus on getting more frontline players involved in local cricket, which the renowned hitter applauded.
It’s something that everyone knows about. Every cricket player should research it because domestic cricket is really how they got started. They wouldn’t be where they are now if they hadn’t begun at the domestic cricket level, whether it be in the Ranji Trophy, domestic T20, or domestic one-day competition, Gavaskar stated.
“Very few cricket players have truly made the transition from never having played domestic cricket to always having played some form of domestic cricket, be it U-19 or junior cricket or anything similar. It’s something that every cricket player should always remember.”
The Ranji Trophy was held this year from January 5 to March 14 spanning a little over two months, and Gavaskar again urged the BCCI to review the schedule.
More significantly, players found it difficult to adjust to the schedule, which had three-day pauses between the majority of games.
Players from both Tamil Nadu and India, including all-rounder Shardul Thakur, have expressed concern about the timetable, stating that injuries will occur to players in both nations if it is not altered.
Reexamining the schedule is something that needs to be taken into consideration because you need to have a circumstance. There is most likely a day’s travel time in between over the three-day span, according to Gavaskar.
“There’s never enough time to visit the physiotherapist when traveling to receive relief with a niggle. Thus, in order to give the gamer enough time, there should probably be a small gap,” he continued.
Gavaskar suggested that the Ranji Trophy be played from October through mid-December, with the white-ball tournaments taking place afterward.
Everyone will be available to play in this manner, with the exception of those who are representing India. There won’t be any valid justification for leaving. People in the IPL can start getting enough practise from January onwards, as one-day matches commence.
Additionally, Gavaskar stated that Test cricket will endure.
“There will undoubtedly be test cricket. Only two or three nations may play five Tests in a five-Test series; other nations may not. Tests, T20Is, and ODIs will all be played during any tour going forward, he stated.
