Kohli, MS Dhoni Request To COA For Pay Hike 

Nagpur: India captain Virat Kohli and former skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni are set to request COA chief Vinod Rai for a substantial hike in the central contracts but it may be easier said than done as it is going to require the approval of the general body of BCCI. The Indian cricketers' central contracts saw a two-fold rise with top players in group A earning Rs 2 crore annually.

Earlier, they were drawing Rs 1 crore. Despite the cent percent hike in annual contracts, the players were apparently still not happy and erstwhile coach Anil Kumble had given a presentation to the the Committee of Administrators about raising it to Rs 5 crore for Grade A cricketers. The COA, in its third Status Report submitted to the Supreme Court on April 6, had stated about the proposed recommendations on restructuring of central contracts.

"Unlike reports that players want share from the IPL broadcast revenue, they have never ever said anything like that. Yes, they have spoken about a respectable rise. The COA also understands that their payment structure needs revision," a senior BCCI office bearer, who has been in touch with skipper Kohli, told PTI today. Currently the Indian players earn less than 8 percent (7.8 percent) of BCCI revenues and that is something that Rai wants to change.

However, unless the general body of the BCCI approves the revised pay structure, the players won't be getting what they demand at this point of time. "Now let's consider a situation wherein Virat or MS requests Mr Rai to consider a pay hike. He can easily tell them that he had already given his recommendations to the Supreme Court in COA's third Status Report. Now any fund disbursement of the BCCI would require approval of the General Body.

"A Special General Meeting needs to be summoned where all the members will be taking a call. This is as per constitution of BCCI," the official said. The Indian players believe that someone like Cheteshwar Pujara, who doesn't have a lucrative IPL contract, needs to be adequately compensated for his skills at the ultimate format – Test cricket. Similarly someone like Mahendra Singh Dhoni doesn't play the Test format but is part of the other two. Just like England and Wales Cricket Board, Kumble had then suggested separate red and white ball contracts for the players. (PTI)