Let us discuss about the fact that Broad supports pay-cut for the players. It is a fact that the entire world is living in the midst of a terrible pandemic. It has left thousands all over the world jobless and a few millions receiving reduced pay. Almost everyone, from the richest of the rich to the poorest of the poor are affected because of this pandemic. The sporting bodies of the world are not an exception either. Most of the games and tournaments were cancelled. It has resulted in huge revenue loss to the boards as well as to the players and competitors.
The problem is so acute that the Olympics which was supposed to have been held this year is postponed to next year. So many games are held behind close doors. Cricket is not an exception either. Almost all the boards with the exception of BCCI, have suffered heavy loss. England to the tune of 100M GBP. So much so that the boards are talking about job loss within the administration. A lot of players will have to accept pay-cut. I have not read anyone complain about the financial loss. Jonny Bairstow has also agreed for his pay to be downscaled to a lower level.
Broad’s comments
“I think 100% there’ll be pay cuts,” Broad, who won the Test player of the Summer award at this season’s NatWest Cricket Awards, said. “The players are very aware of the situation. With the ECB having to potentially lose 60-odd staff, it would be wrong that the players stay on a similar pay. I’ve not heard any official sort of numbers.
“The players are very open to that sort of thing. I don’t think you’ll be getting any players complaining about taking more pay cuts because it’s sort of in line with the world, isn’t it? It would be a really average feeling to have that we were not making sacrifices like the rest of the world. So I don’t think you’ll get too many people complaining of whatever comes our way.
This is how most of the cricketers around the world are reacting for their reduced pay. Most of them have agreed if it can help someone else will not lose his job.
Agreeing for a pay-cut will not be a problem for most of the top players. Firstly, they were well paid for most of their career that one year’s reduced pay must not affect them. Secondly, a lot of these top players will be involved in various franchise cricket held throughout the globe. They will easily be able to mitigate their loss. It is the not only the well paid cricketers that needs care. The wider support staffs like groundsmen, scorers, women cricketers etc needs much higher support than the cricketers.
Will Indian players follow as well?
Indian cricket players are probably the most paid of all the cricket players. They not only earn through their annual contracts with the board but most of them are involved in commercials through which they earn in the millions. Yes I do agree that not every Indian cricketer is involved in commercials but most of them are. Hardly an hour goes by without 4-5 of the players advertising some product. With IPL in full swing, this has become every few minutes. A few like Kohli, Dhoni, Rohit are in multiple commercials. They are all some of the biggest stars this country has and it is absolutely fine for them to earn in the millions because they have really sacrificed a lot to come up to the level where they are currently.
The time in which we are living calls for these biggest stars to fulfil their obligations towards persons who are involved in the game. It is time for them to give back something to the society that has made them into mega stars.
First, the Indian first class season will not go ahead this year. This essentially means that the first class players will not be paid for the entire season. For a lot of these players, cricket is the only thing they know of. Especially, the younger ones who have sacrificed much of their childhood to play in Ranji Trophy hoping that it will pave their way into the Indian team. These players will stand to lose significantly. Most of them will be having a lot of commitments that they will find it hard to survive without the funds from the board.
Indian cricket’s support staff
The second is the precarious position the coaches at the National Cricket Academy in Bangalore are facing. All the 11 coaches were laid off just when things seemed to improve at the useless NCA after Dravid took over control. It is not clear whether they will be taken back once the situation improves. One of the coach
“Rahul had handpicked all of us (coaches), and it was done with a plan in place. We have made plans and programmes together, to try and take Indian cricket to the next level, become the best in the world for a long period,” one of the coaches said. “We have had meetings twice every week through the pandemic too. Work has been going on.
“Maybe we will be taken back later, but there are no guarantees.”
Thirdly, a few days ago, there was one other report of scorers, groundsmen and the rest facing an uncertain future because they were not paid.
Responsibility of the board
The BCCI being so rich has lot of responsibilities not only towards the players but towards everyone connected to the game. They will be perfectly justified if they have to reduce the pay structure for the international players but at the sametime they must ensure that the money saved as a result of such restructure must be distributed to the players, scorers, coaches, groundsmen etc at the lower level. BCCI with its riches can easily afford to do so. It is time for BCCI to stand up and show everyone that they do care about everyone involved in the game and not just the huge stars.
Do you think BCCI must not reduce the salary of the players? Please leave your comments.