The Hindu Business Line : Just be in the 16, `score' as much as Sachin

The whopping money he mops up is enough to last more than a lifetime and he merely needs to get into the final 16 for a cricket tour. There is this oft-repeated tale of how wicketkeeper Parthiv Patel made as much during the recently-concluded World Cup as Sachin Tendulkar did without even going anywhere near the stumps.

Take for example 2002-03, during which Indian cricketers played a total of over 35 one-day internationals and 14 tests. The treasurer of the Board of Cricket Control in India, Mr Jyoti Bajpai, told Business Line that each cricketer who was in the final 16 made around Rs 1.5 lakh for every test match and around Rs 1.4 lakh for every one-day international match, the figures being inclusive of match fees and logo money from sponsorship.

A quick back-of-the-envelope calculation reveals that each player made around Rs 50 lakh for one-day internationals and around Rs 21 lakh for tests, which add up to around Rs 71 lakh. One is not even counting the daily allowance cricketers receive while playing abroad, the tour allowance which could go up to Rs 5 lakh for a longer trip and the prize money for man of the match awards, which are distributed among all the 16 players and the coach of the team, though individual winners get a higher share. If one includes the domestic circuit as well, the total earnings for each player would easily cross Rs 1 crore.

Again, those who are in top league right from Tendulkar to Harbhajan Singh, individual sponsors pay each one of these icons handsomely. Though no recorded figures are available on how much Tendulkar makes from WorldTel, his captain, Saurav Ganguly recently signed a fresh deal with Percept d'mark and according to guesstimates, he has been paid around Rs 40 crore for the rest of his playing days.

There are other benefits as well. International cricketers also get to make a good packet for each season they play in the English County League. As incentives they get free housing and a car. Almost all first class players also land up with jobs in banks and public sector undertakings. That is a steady income till one retires.

The Board of Cricket Control in India, which as the name suggests `controls' the fortunes of the game in India, is itself the richest sports body in the country with an annual profit of a whopping Rs 100 crore. It is currently working on a draft proposal based on the graded system for players. According to one such proposal, players with better track record and experience will be part of Group A and will earn Rs 60 lakh per annum, those in Grade B will get Rs 30 lakh, while those in Grade C will get to make Rs 15 lakh.

Tempting enough?

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