What benefits do Indian girls get under the BCCI that did not get under the WCAI?
Answers
Explanation:
With the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) having taken the Women's Cricket Association of India (WCAI) under its wing, the money situation seems to be looking up for the players. For long the players had to depend on their jobs mostly with Railways and Air India and survive on paltry daily allowances. Those days, it seems, are gone.
Even a year back women cricketers of the country could draw few pay-cheques. It was the same story for even world record-holder Mithali Raj. It was only in the recently-concluded All-India Women's Knock-Out Cricket Tournament that all the players of the ten teams that had participated got their first dues.
Thanks to the BCCI initiative, players who took part in that tournament got Rs 1500 per match. The amount looks insignificant when compared to what their male counterparts get when they play in a domestic tournament — a male domestic player gets Rs 4000 per day for a Ranji match which means that a Ranji player pockets a total of Rs 16,000 at the end of four days.
Sounds a bit unfair, keeping in mind that the eves also bowl 50 overs, the boundary line is the same, the umpires are also of the same standard as in the men's tournament. Everything seems to be the same but the money. This, though, hardly shakes the confidence of the eves as they used to play even when they were not paid anything.
"WCAI's merger with BCCI is what we had been waiting for. The immediate benefit will be to state players who till now used to get nothing for playing. But now they will also get paid — Rs 1,500 per match," Indian and Railways skipper Mithali said.
"Earlier, for representing India we used to get Rs 1,000 per match. That too has been increased to Rs 2,500 after BCCI's takeover."
Another Indian player Hemlata Kala said, "Money was not involved earlier, but now it has slowly started coming in. It is like something is better than nothing for us. We will start getting match fees, which will really boost the upcoming players. In fact, earlier it was only Railways and Indian Airlines that used to give its players a daily allowance of Rs 500, but now we will have some money coming in from BCCI as well."
Supporting her teammates' statement was Railway's opener Sulkashna Naik, "It's just the first season, and things will change gradually. Though it is a small change, it would certainly change the scenario of women's cricket in India."
The money factor should bring more professionalism in the women's cricket. At a point where there were hardly any women players who would look up to playing cricket. The money will lure them again. "The money will certainly bring in more professionalism to the game as girls will put in more effort not only in the international arena but also at the state level," said Nooshin Al Khadeer.
She added: "If things move in the right direction, in a couple of years India will also have outstanding performers."
Optimism is there. "In coming three-four years we will be able to reach the Ranji Trophy level is we continue to perform," Mithali said.