The coronavirus pandemic has taken a toll on almost every industry since 2020, including the cricketing circle in various countries.
As for India, the suspension of several domestic events including the Ranji Trophy has jeopardized the livelihood of those cricketers that receive no compensation from the BCCI apart from the match fee.
Therefore, Rajasthan Royals fast-bowler Jaydev Unadkat has voiced for the Indian cricketers, urging the board to introduce central contracts for at least the top 30 domestic players of a state.
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In a recent interview, the 29-year-old said: “Talks over central contracts were happening even before the pandemic. Even cricketers at the age group level should be compensated for the lack of cricket, it will keep them motivated and then hand contracts to senior players.”
He feels that it is understandable that the BCCI can’t give contracts to all players, but picking top-30 players for contracts sounds feasible. In 2020, the fast-bowler anchored Saurashtra to their maiden Ranji title.
Every domestic player gets paid around INR150 lakh for participation in the season. But cancellation of Ranju in 2021, which was the first time in 87 years, deprived them of the money.
Moreover, in April, former Indian player Rohan Gavaskar urged state associations to introduce contracts for all domestic players over and above their match fees.