Mumbai Cricket Association introduced three tier contracts for registered players: how much ill each tier offer?

The Mumbai Cricket Association, often considered one of the elite boards, has proved its worth yet again with a benchmark move for the domestic cricketers. On April 16, MCA announced it would offer annual contracts for players under certain criteria, becoming the first domestic board in India to do so.

As per the new initiative, the MCA will be dividing the players into three grades—Grade A, Grade B, and Grade C. Players allotted under Grade A will be paid between 12 lakh and 20 lakh per annum. Grade B players will receive INR 8 lakh to INR 12 lakh, or INR 8 lakh per annum.

Grades and amount alloted

However, these contracts won't affect the other financial policies like match fees, daily allowances, and other incentives based on performances. Today MCA released a official statement which said,

"The system is designed to support players who are on the cusp of higher honours, ensuring stability and motivation to perform consistently at the domestic level."

Speaking to the Times of India, Ajinkya Naik, the president of MCA, said that that initiative has been taken mostly to provide better financial security and structure to the players. He said,

"This initiative marks a new era for Mumbai cricket. We are proud to be the first association to implement a player contract system - a progressive step that will provide greater security, structure, and growth opportunities for our Mumbai players. It reflects our vision to strengthen the foundation of Mumbai cricket and empower the next generation of cricketers."

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Will all Mumbai players get the annual contract?

No. Not all MCA registered players will be eligible for the contract. The primary requirement of the grades is to meet the performance and fitness standards of the board. Not only that, the selection committee members must recommend the players to be included under the board.

However, players like Ajinkya Rahane, Suryakumar Yadav, and Shreyas Iyer won't get the contract. This is mainly because the state board contracts are eligible for players who are not under BCCI contracts or registered with an IPL team. A player has to be aloof from an IPL or BCCI contract at least for two years to come under the radar. This will include all players who are under drafts of an IPL team but have yet to play a match.

Notably, the MCA Apex Council meeting has passed the proposal, and the annual contract scheme will be effective from the 2026-2027 season itself.