How MS Dhoni's unselfish gesture helped Virat Kohli, others get huge pay hike by BCCI
Mumbai: The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced a new contract system and compensation structure for Indian cricket on Wednesday. The new grade-wise list came as a massive surprise for many as Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s name was omitted from the A+ category, the highest paid bracket of Rs seven crore.
Instead, only five players were selected for the elite category consisting of India skipper Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, Shikhar Dhawan and pacers Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Jasprit Bumrah.
But Dhoni’s demotion came with a particular reason. "It's a simple logic that selectors have applied. Play more and get paid more. The five in question are indispensable in all three formats right now. They deserved to be paid more. Also Ravi Shastri, Kohli and Dhoni have been taken into confidence, " a senior BCCI official said.
Previously, the contracts were divided into three grades, where players from the A category would receive Rs two crore while Grade B and C players would pocket Rs one crore and Rs fifty lakh respectively.
However, it is learnt that the inclusion of the A+ category came after Dhoni and Kohli brought up the idea.
"This suggestion originated from Virat and MS in the discussions. The players wanted this category to be dynamic and to feature only the best performers. Their logic was this category would have only players featuring in all three formats, players who are in the top-10 rankings.
They wanted a category of pure excellence where you perform and you are rewarded. And hence the players would not occupy a permanent slot in this category because if you don't perform then you slip down the order," Vinod Rai told ESPNCricinfo.
Dhoni retired from Test cricket in 2014 but was still given an A grade contract. But now, he the veteran wicketkeeper-batsman wanted a new category where only players featuring in all three formats of the game would be eligible for the premium contract.
It was a selfless gesture from the former India captain as he placed the interests of others above his.
The annual contracts will be valid from October 2017 to September 2018.
