The BCCI has more than tripled the prize money for the winning team of the Ranji trophy in India. Earlier, the champions would win Rs.60 lakhs as winners and the BCCI has changed that to Rs.2 crores (twenty million rupees). The runners-up will win Rs.1 crore whereas the losing semi-finalists will now win Rs.50 lakhs.
The BCCI has also decided that it will set up an academy for coaching the umpires, something that is conspicuous by its dearth. There is no Indian umpire in the Elite panel of umpires yet, while having only two in the international panel.
The cricket board has also allowed the former ICL players to participate in the next year’s Indian Premier League. However, there will be a cap of Rs.20 lakhs (two million rupees) on these players for at least one season. Many of the Indian cricketers, who had earlier played for the ICL took the grant of amnesty that the BCCI offered them and broke away from the league couple of months back.
The BCCI has also increased the pay for the umpires at the domestic level to Rs.7500 per match day. The match referees and the coaches for umpire’s coaches will earn Rs.10000. They have also decided to give the cricketers and the support staff who won Emerging Players’ tournament in Australia by beating the hosts, New Zealand and South Africa, a bonus of one lakh rupees each.
