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'Not An Incentive, It's A...' - Rahul Dravid On BCCI's Test Cricket Incentive Scheme

Dravid praises BCCI's Incentive Scheme for men Test cricketers (x.com)Dravid praises BCCI's Incentive Scheme for men Test cricketers (x.com)

Indian cricket team head coach Rahul Dravid has expressed his support for the Board of Control for Cricket in India's (BCCI) groundbreaking Test Cricket Incentive Scheme. The scheme, aimed at revitalising Test cricket, offers substantial rewards to players who demonstrate consistency in the longest format of the game.

Following India's impressive victory over England in the five-match Test series, where they secured a 4-1 triumph after an initial setback in Hyderabad, discussions have been rife regarding BCCI's latest initiative. 

Under the new scheme, players who participate in more than 75% of the Test matches in a season stand to receive an additional match fee of up to INR 45 lakh.

Dravid, who has long been an advocate for the enduring significance of Test cricket, emphasized that the incentive should not merely be viewed as a monetary enticement but rather as a well-deserved recognition of the challenges and dedication required to excel in the format.

“I hope money is not an incentive to play Test cricket. It is just a recognition that it’s a tough and hard format. You go through a lot. We don’t celebrate 100 T20Is like we do 100 Tests right? It’s not an incentive, it’s a reward.”

The announcement of the incentive scheme coincided with the unveiling of the central contracts for the 2023-24 season, which saw surprising omissions such as Shreyas Iyer and Ishan Kishan due to their refusal to participate in domestic cricket.

In response to queries after India's victory over England in the Dharamsala Test, Dravid reiterated his stance, emphasizing that the scheme aims to reward players for their commitment to Test cricket amidst the dominance of T20 cricket.

BCCI Secretary Jay Shah took to social media to announce the initiative, aiming to attract players back to the traditional format, particularly considering the reluctance of some players to engage in domestic cricket.