The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is unlikely to reduce the number of playing days of the Indian cricket team as it fears it might affect direct revenue from broadcasters.
The governing body is set to discuss the new Futures Tours Programme and pay hike at the Special General Meeting (SGM) in New Delhi on Monday, December 11.
Notably, skipper Virat Kohli had openly lashed out at the "cramped" schedule of the team, shedding light on the lack of preparation time for the all-important South Africa tour, starting January 5 in Cape Town.
The chairman of BCCI's Committee of Administrators (CoA) had even backed Kohli saying the FTP -- covering matches between 2019 and 2023 -- would be discussed with the team. He also added that the board "can't be killing the golden goose for the sake of revenue".
It has now emerged that the new FTP will have more matches, but they will be more evenly spread out to avoid player burnout. In fact, India are expected to be playing 54 T20Is between 2019 and 2013, three times more than the number of T20Is played as part of the earlier FTP.
'How is that possible?'
"The players, on one hand, want a hike in pay and also want to have the number of playing days curtailed. How is that possible? No one is putting players at gunpoint and making them play. The moment you are fatigued, take rest," a senior BCCI official told Press Trust of India.
He added: "Suppose if we curtail the number of days, the broadcasters will then pay us accordingly. Now, we are in a position where we have to pay Rs 850 crore fine after losing the arbitration to Kochi Tuskers. From where will the money be recovered. In any case, FTP or pay hike can only be passed by the General body."
Massive pay hike expected for Indian cricketers
The BCCI has proposed to play more T20Is in the next four-year-cycle as broadcasters find the shortest format of the game profitable. With telecast rights for international matches of Team India up for sale next year, the governing body will be making a huge sum of money (reportedly close to Rs 10,000 crore) if the SGM approves the new FTP, which is packed with T20Is.
The new FTP has been drafted in mind the salary hike Kohli and his teammates are expected receive when the governing body announces the new central contracts for 2017-18.
Grade A players reportedly will earn Rs 12 crore per year, which is six times more than what they had been earning, while Grade B and Grade C players, earning Rs 1 crore and Rs 50 lakh respectively, are expected to get an 800 percent hike.
