Pietersen, Gambhir hail BCCI secretary Jay Shah for new Test incentive scheme

The incentive scheme serves as a financial boost for the players who prioritise playing Test cricket and comes on top of the existing match fee of INR 15 lakh per match.

Mumbai: The Board of Control for Cricket in India’s (BCCI) announcement of introducing a new Test incentive scheme for India’s senior men’s team has come in favour of Kevin Pietersen with the former England captain lauding BCCI secretary Jay Shah for the “highly commendable” action.

Shortly after India thrashed England by an innings and 64 runs to win the fifth and final Test at HPCA Stadium in Dharamshala to clinch the series 4-1, BCCI secretary Jay Shah announced the initiation of the Test Cricket Incentive Scheme for the senior men’s team.

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According to the new initiative, the BCCI will give an additional match fee to India’s senior men’s team regulars with cricketers who play more than 75 per cent of Test matches in a season for India set to receive an additional fee of Rs 45 lakh per Test match.

Hailing Jay Shah as a “powerful leader” Pietersen said, “NOW WE TALKING! Highly commendable that @JayShah is doing his utmost to protect Test Cricket! We need powerful leaders to stand up for Test Cricket like this? Thank you!” Pietersen wrote in a post on X (formerly Twitter).

The incentive scheme serves as a financial boost for the players who prioritise playing Test cricket and comes on top of the existing match fee of INR 15 lakh per match.

“I am pleased to announce the initiation of the ‘Test Cricket Incentive Scheme’ for Senior Men, a step aimed at providing financial growth and stability to our esteemed athletes.

“Commencing from the 2022-23 season, the ‘Test Cricket Incentive Scheme’ will serve as an additional reward structure on top of the existing match fee for Test matches, set at INR 15 lakh,” wrote Shah on his X account.

According to the incentive structure posted by Shah, players featuring in more than 50 per cent of Tests in a season since 2022/23, will benefit the most.

A player who plays five to six Tests in a nine-match season will receive INR 30 lakh per match as a playing eleven incentive, while 15 lakh per match is kept as a non-playing eleven incentive.

Every player who features in at least 75 per cent of matches (which is seven or more matches in a nine-game season), will get a playing incentive of INR 45 lakh per match, while the non-playing eleven incentive is fixed at INR 22.5 lakh.

The incentives’ structure does not apply to those who play less than four Tests in a season. India spinner Ravichandran Ashwin also praised the BCCI for the new incentive scheme while World Cup winner Gautam Gambhir hailed Jay Shah and BCCI for this initiative.

“Freedom from uncertainty is extremely important for performance! Great step! @BCCI @JayShah.” Gambhir said in his post on X.