Pietersen and Gambhir praise BCCI Secretary Jay Shah for introducing new Test incentive scheme

Mumbai (IANS) – The BCCI’s new Test Cricket Incentive Scheme for India’s senior men’s team has garnered praise from former England captain Kevin Pietersen. BCCI Secretary Jay Shah announced the scheme after India’s series win against England.

The scheme will provide an additional match fee to regular players who participate in more than 75% of Test matches in a season, with a reward of Rs 45 lakh per Test match. Pietersen took to social media to commend Jay Shah for protecting Test cricket and providing financial stability to players.

Jay Shah expressed his excitement for the initiative, stating that the scheme will enhance financial growth and stability for the players. The additional incentive will be on top of the existing match fee of INR 15 lakh per Test match, starting from the 2022-23 season.

Players who feature in more than 50% of Tests in a season since 2022/23 will benefit the most from the scheme. Those who play seven or more matches in a nine-game season will receive a playing incentive of INR 45 lakh per match, while non-playing eleven incentives will be at INR 22.5 lakh.

India spinner Ravichandran Ashwin and World Cup winner Gautam Gambhir have also praised the BCCI and Jay Shah for introducing the new incentive scheme, acknowledging the importance of financial stability for players’ performance. The scheme aims to encourage players to prioritize Test cricket and ensure their commitment to the format.