Senior BCCI Scorers Write E-Mail To Sourav Ganguly Requesting "Retirement Benefits"
Published - 03 Jun 2021, 08:15 PM | Updated - 23 Aug 2024, 12:47 AM
About 17 BCCI accredited retired and senior scorers have requested the former India captain and the current BCCI President, Sourav Ganguly, to take notice of their financial condition. They have urged Sourav Ganguly to devise a policy for these scorers which would benefit them after their retirement.
Vivek Gupte, a senior Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) scorer, on behalf of 17 scorers across the country, wrote an e-mail to Sourav Ganguly for helping them as their job isn’t as lucrative as some others involved in the game.
While the scorers have had the opportunity to record some iconic moments, from Kapil Dev’s era to MS Dhoni winning the 2011 World Cup at home, they haven’t had any great deal of financial gains from it as they have worked on their passion, not just a profession.
“While we were requesting the BCCI to increase the retirement age of the scorers, which requires much lesser physical exhaustion, the BCCI has now upped the umpires’ age limit from 55 to 60 years,” Gupte told PTI.
“In our request mail, we had also mentioned that all these “Retired” scorers are senior scorers who are into the activity of scoring for about three decades.”
“When we started scoring the payments were meagre – as less as Rs 50/- per day. The senior scorers have given their lifetime and everything to this rather neglected activity, without much expectations – be it monetary or name or fame.”
Scorers request Sourav Ganguly for pension after retirement
The BCCI accredited scorers now make Rs 10,000 per match day. However, with little cricket in India in the post-COVID-19 world -Ranji Trophy for last season was cancelled – their income has significantly decreased.
Hence, they have asked the Sourav Ganguly-led panel to introduce plans for fixed monthly pension post-retirement.
“There were a lot of sacrifices involved – some have given up their job by taking early retirement, many have not opted for promotion in professional careers for fear of displacement which could have resulted in giving up scoring.
“Hence, the request was that a proper retirement policy be framed and put in place and that the retired scorers should be given, — retirement benefits by way of a fixed monthly pension and/ or a one time lump sum amount and medical cover benefit,” the mail added.
They are confident that the “BCCI will certainly be working out something fruitful for the benefit of senior retired scorers.” Out of 17 scorers, MS Rahman from Jharkhand died a while ago and Sunil Landge from the Baroda Cricket Association was added to the list from December last year.
