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MUMBAI: Former India off-spinner Harbhajan Singh on Sunday revealed that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has rolled out a landmark incentive scheme to financially reward domestic cricketers for playing more matches in a season. The decision was taken during the board’s Annual General Meeting (AGM) in Mumbai, which Harbhajan attended as the representative of the Punjab Cricket Association.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!“It has been decided that if a player plays more domestic matches in a season, he will get more money. This will be an incentive for teams to reach the finals of domestic tournaments,” Harbhajan told reporters after the meeting.
Giving further details, the former India star disclosed that the bonus could be significant. “If a cricketer plays 14 first-class matches a season, he will get an additional match fee of Rs 1 crore,” Harbhajan said, underlining the board’s intent to reward consistency and commitment.
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The move is being hailed as a game-changer for India’s domestic circuit, often seen as the breeding ground for future international players. By directly linking financial rewards to match appearances, the BCCI hopes to encourage players to prioritise domestic cricket and raise the competitiveness of tournaments like the Ranji Trophy.Harbhajan, who is also a Member of Parliament in the Rajya Sabha, took the opportunity to appeal for broader social responsibility from the board. “I have suggested to the BCCI to do something for the victims of the devastation caused by flooding in North Indian states like Punjab,” he added.The AGM also saw a major leadership change, with former Delhi captain Mithun Manhas elected as the 37th BCCI president, succeeding Roger Binny. Manhas, a prolific run-scorer with over 9,700 first-class runs, becomes only the third former cricketer after Sourav Ganguly and Binny to hold the top post.The dual developments — financial empowerment of domestic players and fresh leadership under Manhas — underline BCCI’s attempt to strengthen cricket at the grassroots while addressing broader social concerns.
