Former India player Rohan Gavaskar has suggested the country’s state cricket associations to start offering annual contracts to its players, quite like the way the BCCI does with the Indian team.

The BCCI offers annual contracts to its India players who are graded on the basis of their performance over a 12-month period.

“All state associations should have annual contracts with their players like the bcci does with the Indian team. A,B,C categories. If state contracts are not there then it’s impossible to make payments to domestic players in such a situation,” Gavaskar tweeted on Wednesday.

Son of the legendary Sunil Gavaskar, the 45-year-old briefly played for India besides his long and successful association with Bengal in the domestic circuit. He has played 11 ODIs and featured in two IPL games in 2010.

All state associations should have annual contracts with their players like the bcci does with the Indian team . A,B,C categories . If state contracts are not there then it’s impossible to make payments to domestic players in such a situation . https://t.co/FAOV5cDRWx

— Rohan Gavaskar (@rohangava9) May 26, 2021

In a series of tweets concerning the welfare of first-class cricketers, the former player wrote, “How does one determine who would have played the entire season ? Could some senior players have been dropped midway ?

“What about the youngsters who may have made their debuts ? Will they not get anything ? What happens to the white ball specialists ? The red ball specialists ?

“The state associations need to look after their players. The domestic players are the ones who really keep the game going. They have to be taken care of. Start annual contracts for them.”

Gavaskar junior’s suggestions come even as the country’s domestic players await compensation from the BCCI that is yet to be disbursed as state units have still not sent in the requisite details.

The COVID-19 pandemic and the resultant closure of BCCI headquarters has led to delays in playing salaries and compensation but it’s of little consolation to the domestic players as most of them are yet to receive the Gross Revenue Share (GRS) for the past few seasons.

BCCI has always allocated a share from its TV broadcast revenue to the domestic cricketers and it is normally paid in September after the annual accounts are settled.