A system of graded payments and contracts that will bind a shortlist of players to the Board of Control for Cricket in India but protect those not selected from that list to represent India seems to be on the anvil, according to a recent statement made by the BCCI President.

In recent times, some of our top cricketers, past and present, have expressed their support to such a system, which should, according to them, provide cover to players rendered hors' d' combat by injury or runless by form, but good enough to make a comeback in the foreseeable future. It should also bring about a certain sense of `job security' and with it, one of well-being and morale that should help improve individual and team performance. The method has worked well in Australia, for instance, where it is now being applied to state teams as well.

The real situation in India is that there is no security in playing cricket, which means unless you get selected to play for India and retain your place for at least a couple of seasons, you are actually taking a huge risk with your career. (Of course, the fate of those pursuing other sports is worse). A young cricketer playing for his state in the Ranji Trophy and say, India Under-19, may attend college for no more than ten days a year, so packed is his itinerary. This means that he has already made his career choice, sacrificing other options to become a professional cricketer. What happens when he does not make the grade at the international level? He can at best hope to play Ranji and Duleep cricket for a few seasons, retaining a job based on his cricket ability, and arriving at the crossroads in his early thirties, with no clue as to what he is going to do with the rest of his adult years. Because, from about age twelve, he has been concentrating on playing cricket at the expense of studies and acquiring life skills.

Some cricketers of an earlier era, at least the more sensible of them, tried to have a parallel career at their workplace, even if they were assured of a future in Test cricket. The monetary rewards in the game were not very attractive, so it made their choice that much easier, but even in those times of amateurism, many sportsmen neglected education and work to pursue their passion and paid the price. The worst part of the cricketer's life was that even if he proved indispensable at the office, he missed out on promotion opportunities, getting sidelined merely because of his cricket background. He was invariably seen as someone who might not be available on crucial occasions.

Any contract system then, to be meaningful in India, should reduce the income gap between Test and other first class cricketers and incorporate contracts between state associations and their cricketers, making the game an attractive career option to young hopefuls. Otherwise we shall continue to have dropouts - either from cricket or from studies.

And last, but not least, is there a fool proof system which can take care of the Indian `chalta hai' attitude once `job security' is assured?

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