Sunil Gavaskar Advocates Doubling or Tripling Ranji Trophy Fees to Reduce Player Withdrawals

Cric News India IPL News 2024

March 16, 2024 0 146

Sunil Gavaskar suggested increasing Ranji Trophy fees two or threefold, believing it would deter player withdrawals and enhance participation.

Sunil Gavaskar has called upon the BCCI to significantly raise the fees for Ranji Trophy players, lauding the board for its Incentive Scheme post India’s Test series victory over England. Speaking at a CHAMPS Foundation event, Gavaskar stressed the importance of acknowledging the contributions of Ranji Trophy players, often the ground for future international talents.

He urged the BCCI to prioritize the welfare of these players, highlighting their crucial role as the feeder system for the Test team.

“That is a wonderful thing by the BCCI to reward those who would be playing, but I would also request the BCCI to ensure that the feeder to the Test team, which is the Ranji Trophy, is also looked after,” Gavaskar said.

The former Indian cricketer suggested a substantial increase, possibly doubling or tripling, in Ranji Trophy player fees to deter withdrawals from the tournament.

“If the Ranji Trophy fees can be doubled or tripled, certainly there’ll be a lot more people playing the Ranji Trophy, and a lot less pull-outs from the Ranji Trophy, because if the fees of playing a Ranji Trophy match are a good fee, there will be fewer people pulling out for various reasons,” he said.

Last year, the BCCI raised the prize money for Ranji Trophy winners to INR 5 crore, with an additional INR 5 crore awarded to the Mumbai team by the Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) after their victory over Vidarbha in the final match at the Wankhede Stadium.

Gavaskar also proposed restructuring the cricket calendar by scheduling the Ranji Trophy from October to mid-December, preceding the limited-overs tournaments. This adjustment, he explained, would ensure player availability and reduce withdrawals, particularly with the IPL season approaching. He suggested that starting the white-ball tournaments after the Ranji Trophy would allow all players, except those on national duty, to participate without excuses.

With one-dayers starting in January, IPL players would have ample time for preparation, thus enhancing the quality of cricket across formats.