Overview
- The MCA has become the first Indian state cricket body to set identical annual retainers for men’s and women’s domestic players for the 2026-27 season.
- Retainers are paid across three grades with fixed values of INR 12 lakh for Grade A, INR 8 lakh for Grade B, and INR 6 lakh for Grade C.
- A total of 22 players received contracts — 14 men and 8 women — with Siddhesh Lad and Shams Mulani named Grade A on the men’s side and Humaira Kazi and Vrushali Bhagat on the women’s side.
- Contracts target players who are not centrally contracted by the BCCI or who have not represented India in the previous two seasons and also include match fees, daily allowances and performance-based incentives to supplement the retainers.
- The MCA set up the Ajinkya Rahane Scholarship Fund with a contribution from Sharad Pawar to support grassroots cricket, and the move builds on Mumbai’s earlier pay reforms and national incentives that could encourage other state boards to follow suit.