Ganguly determined to make domestic player salaries the same as IPL

Until recently, every domestic Indian player aspired to be part of the Indian Premier League (IPL) bandwagon. And one of the chief reasons for that is the huge pay packets that IPL players get.

However, things could change this year if the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) president Sourav Ganguly has his way.

Sportskeeda's sources say that domestic players, who had got a 200 per cent hike in the Committee of Administrators’ dispensation, could make anything between Rs. 50 to 70 lakh per annum when the new pay hikes are announced.

It is learnt that Ganguly has told his colleagues that the share for the domestic players needs to go up manifold. He wants the hike to be so substantial that the players won't have to regret playing the game even after quitting cricket.

In other words, playing Ranji Trophy could soon be as profitable as the IPL.

"This obsession about IPL contracts has to end somewhere. The domestic fees would have to be made lucrative enough to make it worth for the Indian cricketers to continue to play in the domestic circuit," a top BCCI source told Sportskeeda.

Due to the lockdown in the country as part of the measures to tackle COVID-19, the pay hike announcement is on hold. But the board officials, including Ganguly, are committed to increasing the pay for the players.

The officials have praised the CoA for adopting a pro-player approach and making domestic cricket profitable. However, it remains to be seen how much profit the BCCI has turned in the last accounting year. To hike the fees, the board may have to change the revenue sharing pattern keeping in mind its profits.

The BCCI will not be able to host international matches at home for some time, and there are question marks over how much it will make if the IPL gets cancelled this year. Therefore, maintaining a healthy balance will be of utmost importance.