On Domestic Cricket

I have been reading newspapers all day today ( nothing like an active news cycle) and have perused over the suggestions offered by various ex-captains and cricketers including, but not limited to

Captains Recommend

Players endorsements

The Players must take permission of the Board before entering into an endorsement contract. A copy of the contract should be submitted to BCCI in order to ensure that there is no clause relating to performance based incentive. Limit the number of endorsement of a player. Not more than 2 to 3 players must endorse a product other than BCCI sponsor.

Tours abroad

India ‘A’ Tours should be undertaken on a regular basis to Australia/New Zealand/South Africa/West Indies. The tour may be organized ahead of the senior teams’ tour to that country.

Pool of 30

Indian team must have a pool of at least 30 cricketers who should be rotated so that a cricketer does not play more than 80 days of international cricket.

Appointment of selectors

Selectors appointment on a full time basis on payment. Eligibility criteria for both junior and senior selectors. Appointment of selectors for Junior Selection Committee to be made with care.

Teams in Ranji trophy

The elite group should be reduced to 10 teams from the existing 15. The matches should be played on round robin league basis.

Quality of wickets

The BCCI must ensure that the matches are played on sporting and lively wickets. The venues for important matches of the senior tournaments should be allotted by BCCI instead of the existing home and away rotation policy.

Domestic cricket

To strengthen domestic cricket, there should be participation of international cricketers in major domestic tournaments. International calendar should be adjusted so that at least 6 to 8 weeks in a year are available for domestic cricket. BCCI should amend the FTP in the general interest of Indian cricket.

Zonal academies

The National Cricket Academy must be supported by starting Zonal Cricket Academies till all the state units set up their Indoor State Academy.

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When I was younger ( much younger), I had the good fortune of meeting Mr. Milind Gunjal. As those of us belonging to a certain age bracket will testify, Milind Gunjal was the perennial thorn in Mumbai's flesh, scoring runs against us at whim.

It was an interesting conversation because of what he told me - the cost of buying and maintaining his kit coupled with laundry bills totaled to a lot more than what he was making as a Ranji player. And the only thing that kept him going was the love for the game.

Things are slightly better now with domestic players earning a lot more than their counterparts did in the 80s. However, their earning cycle through domestic cricket is limited to the duration of the domestic season.

Which means that they are left to their own devices to generate incomes to sustain themselves for the remaining 8 odd months.

Here is a suggestion -

Lets take a team, for example Mumbai. During this entire domestic season (Irani through the 20/20 bash), Mumbai fielded about 22 players ( give or take a couple).

Once the season is over, hand each of these players a contract which guarantees a sum, say Rs 10,000 a month after tax for a duration of 12 months.

Included in the contract should be a breakdown of the players current skills - cricketing ( batting strengths, batting weaknesses, bowling strengths, bowling weaknesses), fitness ( time taken to run between the wickets, general fitness, body fat content etc) etc. The skill set and the granularity of this skill set and other parameters is dependent on what the MCA coaches are looking for.

Also included in the contract should be the the level the player should be reaching in the off season- so if player A is at level A with regards to fitness, he should be at Level B before the next season begins.

Ditto with cricketing skills.

In the off season, the players can ply their trade anywhere and everywhere they choose.

Now, generally before the start of a season, the players have a camp. At the beginning of this camp, all of the 22 contracted players should be assessed again to verify to what extent they have met their goals. A similar assessment should be made at the end of the camp to see if the players have managed to reach the stated goals by the end of the camp.

Depending on the results, the following can be done
1. A new contract with higher remuneration can be extended to the player exceeding his stated goals.
2. A new contract with the same remuneration be extended to the player meeting his stated goals.
3. No contract be extended to a player not meeting his goals. The said player continues to get the match fees and other monies due to him during the regular season.
4. The player is cut from the team for failing to meet his goals.

( the remuneration amount should be adjusted to factor in inflation and cost of living).

At the end of the domestic season, depending on performance, the contracts should be revisited to either a) increase remuneration amounts b) extend new contracts to players c) decrease remuneration amounts or cancel the contract.

Regarding injuries - injuries sustained during the regular season should not impact the contract-all other injuries are player responsibility.

By guaranteeing a regular money supply through the off season, the players, even when they are playing league or club cricket elsewhere, can keep their primary focus on improving their skill set. The skill assessment parameters can be revised each year depending on player performance and response.

Just my two cents.