India is a cricket crazy nation and for some people, cricket is no less than a religion. It is also true that the cricket board of India which is the Board of Control for Cricket in India is the richest cricket board of the world and the Indian cricketers also earn pretty good. However, the statement as per which the Indian cricketers earn pretty good doesn’t hold true in case of Indian women cricketers as there is a huge difference in the salaries of men cricketers and women cricketers.
When it comes to men cricketers, the BCCI awards them annual contracts in four categories – A+ (Rs. 7 crore), A (Rs. 5 crore), B (Rs. 3 crore) and C (Rs. 1 crore). But as far as women cricket is concerned, there are only three categories – A (Rs. 50 lakh), B (Rs. 30 lakh) and C (Rs. 10 lakh).
It is quite obvious that the salaries of women cricketers are less than men cricketers because women’s cricket is not as popular as men’s cricket and it also doesn’t generate much revenue but what has startled everyone is the fact that even the lowest contract amount of men cricketers is more than the highest contract amount of women cricketers. In simple words, the lowest salary of men cricketers which is Rs. 1 crore is 50 percent more than the highest salary which a women cricketer will get.
Twitterati was quite upset with such treatment meted out to Indian women cricketers and they went on to slam the BCCI for being biased as it is the board which is responsible for ensuring that women cricket is promoted more and women cricketers play more matches but BCCI is spending less funds on the development of women’s cricket.
Here are some of the reactions:
#1
A 'Grade C' male cricketer gets twice as much a 'Grade A' female cricketer would. #BCCI #India https://t.co/GPhKSbT72G
— Manasi Pathak (@ManasiPathak_) May 19, 2021
#2
To add a bit of context, of the 26 per cent of BCCI surplus (excluding IPL) distributed among cricketers: Senior international men get 13 per cent, Senuor domestic men get 10.4, women and junior cricket get 2.6 per cent.
Yess, 2.6 per cent. Promotion of sport, you see!!!— Amol Karhadkar (@karhacter) May 19, 2021
#3
BCCI announces packages for India Women.
The usual frugal amount compared to their male counterparts.
Sexism on Indian cricket Twitter will now bifurcate into:
1. Brazen sexism. Women, hence.
2. Sexism in the guise of capitalism. Profits generated, hence.
As always.
— Abhishek Mukherjee (@ovshake42) May 19, 2021
#4
A Grade C India men's player earns INR 1 Crore. The three players in India women's highest pay grade get only half of it. The Women's team may not fill your coffers, but they have no obligation to it. The onus on increasing their commercial value is responsibility of the BCCI.
— Venkata Krishna B (@venkatatweets) May 19, 2021
#5
This gender pay gap is outrageous! It must be corrected immediately https://t.co/IpjzCzcvz2
— Faye DSouza (@fayedsouza) May 20, 2021
#6
‘Let women’s cricket generate as much revenue and interest as men’s cricket. Then they can get more games and money’ …
… is a silly argument precisely because it is part of the bcci’s job to ensure women get more opportunities and for their matches to generate more revenue— Siddhartha Vaidyanathan (@sidvee) May 21, 2021
#7
India's #WomensCricket team aren't given the respect and value, as compared to the #MensCricket team. We need to host an #ipl for women too, then see the interest and value they get
— Shane Albuquerque (@shane5114) May 20, 2021
#8
1. "Women don't play as many matches, so they don't deserve par salary"
Women players don't have agency over fixtures – it is up to the BCCI to schedule regular games for them. They don't deserve to be paid peanuts because BCCI could not care less about them playing.
— maelstrom (@originalmiks) May 19, 2021
#9
In IPL lowest pay is 20 lakhs for 2 months, while a women cricketer is getting 10 lakhs for one whole year🤦♂️ “too much equality?”
— abhinav aggarwal (@abhinavaggarwa1) May 20, 2021
#10
First of all, it's not about the money, it's about kind of structure created by men where they continuously remind women that, listen lady that's your place in society and don't ask for more.
And cover up it with👉well that's all about demand and supply and we believe in equity.— Lokesh Yadav (@Lokesh49554273) May 20, 2021
#11
When both genders work equally hard, then the pay should be equal too ✌️
— Akshita (@Akshita05306363) May 20, 2021
Pay disparity among the two genders have always been a matter of concern but as per many Twitter users, this much difference is certainly equivalent to insulting the women community. What do you have to say on this matter? Let us know.