Heart in right place!

Former Indian women’s cricket team captain Mithali Raj (left) with ex-pacer Jhulan Goswami during a felicitation event at New Delhi in 2017. Pic/Getty Images

Two wonderful things happened in Indian cricket recently. First was that tremendous last-ball win over arch-rivals Pakistan which brought in Diwali a day earlier and the second was the announcement that there would be pay parity with the men's team for the Indian women cricketers. This clearly shows that not only is the BCCI one of the richest, if not the richest cricket Board in the game, but that its heart is in the right place.

Mithali, Jhulan paved the way

India's women have brought glory not just in cricket but virtually all aspects of life and for the BCCI to recognise that, is tremendous. This will incentivise our women cricketers to go even higher and win more laurels for the country. The likes of Mithali Raj and Jhulan Goswami who may have just missed out, will no doubt be proud of the fact that it was their efforts that have paved the road for today's cricketers to get the rewards. Yes, before this fab duo, there were also those women cricketers like Shanta Rangaswamy, Shubhangi Kulkarni, Diana Edulji, Sudha Shah to name a few, who simply played for the love of the game and in trying circumstances, where they often had to fend for themselves and even bear all the expenses just to play their beloved sport. They must be saluted too for they were perhaps the first who showed the light for the next generations to follow.

Today, when you see our girls being picked to play in the overseas leagues it is a matter of great pride to see their skill sets being recognised all over the cricketing globe. The women's IPL will definitely bring out some of the hidden talent in the game like it has in the men's IPL and once again encourage more parents to let their girls take up sport. Well done, BCCI.

Domestic toilers now, please

The other aspect which the BCCI would hopefully consider is to increase the match fees for the domestic players. Today, the corporate jobs have dried up and playing the domestic circuit is the only means of income for these players especially those who are not fortunate to be picked by an IPL team. I am aware that the BCCI had only a couple of years back come up with a scheme, where those who played more were to get more than the others. Since then, the BCCI coffers have swelled even more with the new broadcast deals for the IPL and so, rather than give some of it to the tax man, it would make sense to give it to our hard working domestic cricketers who feel ignored despite playing more days of cricket compared to the IPL guys who barely play 15 days of cricket.
Creating slabs of the number of matches played and giving more to those who have played more will decrease the chances of those players also selected for IPL pulling out of Ranji and domestic matches to save themselves for the IPL.

There will no doubt be a demand to increase the retainer for the international players too and here the BCCI could consider to not just do it by grades but also by the availability of the player. Less work and more pay is never acceptable so that should be an aspect to think of before the grades are announced. If a player makes himself unavailable there should be a cut in his retainer. Finally, a hope that those who bring the game on the TV screens like the cameramen, sound guys and other technicians who are the real stars of the broadcast also will be smiling at knowing they too are being thought of by a generous BCCI.

God bless them all.

Professional Management Group