For the first time in the history of disability cricket, the top 20 players from India have been rewarded with central contracts by the Physically Challenged Cricket Association of India, one of three bodies that organise cricket tournaments for physically challenged cricketers in the country, reported Hindustan Times.
The grading system was created on the lines of what Board of Control for Cricket in India has set for their centrally contracted cricketers. The amounts, though, are in stark contrast to what India’s international cricketers earn.
Grade A players are eligible for Rs 30,000 annually while Grade B and C cricketers will earn an annual sum of Rs 20,000 and Rs 10,000 respectively.
PCCAI’s general secretary Ravi Chauhan stated that the contract fee is a tentative measure and will increase with the exposure the disabled cricketers get.
“This is just the beginning. It was in the pipeline for quite some time, but we are happy it has finally materialised. This is the best we could start with and we will increase the contract fee as we play more tournaments,” Chauhan said.
“Our intention was to provide some basic assured source of income to these cricketers as most of them don’t have regular jobs. A lot of them hail from poor backgrounds, so it will help them fund their academics or their cricket,” he added.
The report added that the current International Cricket Council chairman, Shashank Manohar had once tried to bring all the disability associations in the country under one umbrella with former India captain Ajit Wadekar at the helm. However, the talks dissolved when Manohar left his BCCI post to move to the ICC.
The PCCAI’s are now banking on the Supreme Court-ordered Committee of Administrators and chief executive Rahul Johri to bring them on board officially.
“We have high hopes from the Vinod Rai has promised full support to us. The BCCI CEO has also promised to hear us out after IPL.
“Except India, every national board supports disability cricket. Even Afghanistan, who is not even a full member of the ICC yet, wholeheartedly promotes disability cricket. Our appeal to the BCCI is to take these disabled cricketers under their wings,” Chauhan said.