Pay-cut for the players will be the last thing to do: BCCI

The ongoing Coronavirus pandemic has put the cricket boards in trouble. The likes of Cricket Australia (CA) and ECB are facing massive financial losses as their cricket summer is likely to get wiped out. Even the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is suffering with the suspension of the Indian Premier League’s (IPL) 13th edition which was supposed to commence on March 29.

However, the BCCI treasurer Arun Dhumal has confirmed that there would be no pay-cut for the players as of now and it will be the last thing the board will consider. But he admitted that the IPL not happening this year will lead to a huge loss to the BCCI. Though he still assured that they are looking to manage the expenses somehow without the pay-cut option.

“We are not discussing a pay cut as of now. We are hoping that despite the financial crisis we will be able to tide over it. But yes IPL would be a big revenue loss to BCCI, when a situation comes then we will think about it but that would be the last thing. In that case, we would resort to in terms of players fee cut at all. Ideally, we somehow want to manage it without going for that cutting option,” Dhumal was quoted as saying by the Times of India.

BCCI to cut the expenses of its employees

Arun Dhumal also informed that the board is looking to curtail its cost and is pondering over the aspects where they can save. He also stressed that the cost-cutting had begun even before the pandemic. The board is also considering to cut the expenses of its employees like travel and accommodation among many.

“Whatever cost we can curtail or whatever saving we can, we are working on that. That is an ongoing process and that started before the pandemic only. We are working on that. Even this revenue loss we are going to come across, we will go for further major and curtail our cost and look at a few more revenue schemes.

“As of now, there is nothing on the players’ side. But on employees or officials, we are thinking wherever we can cut down the cost we are working on that. Wherever there is a possibility of cutting cost be it pertaining to travel, be it accommodation, be it pertaining to employees cost all those things will be looked at,” the BCCI treasurer further added.

Team India last took the field in New Zealand in the first week of March. They were scheduled to lock horns against South Africa at home in the three-match ODI series. But the first game in Dharamsala washed out due to rain and the series was later called off/postponed due to COVID-19 outbreak.