MUMBAI: The Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) has moved to professionalise its domestic player payments by planning annual contracts for cricketers who have neither represented India nor are currently featuring in the IPL, starting from the 2026-27 season. Drawing on the same broad idea of a structured remuneration framework used at the national level, the MCA has approved a tiered pay structure that will place eligible players into three categories—Grade A, Grade B and Grade C—making the association the first in India to formally roll out a contract-based system for its own players.
Key takeaways
- The MCA’s contract scheme will apply from the 2026-2027 season for domestic players who are not in India duty and not playing in the IPL.
- Players will be split into three remuneration tiers: Grade A, Grade B and Grade C.
- Grade A contracts are set in the range of ₹12 lakh to ₹20 lakh per year, while Grade B will be ₹8 lakh to ₹12 lakh.
- Grade C players will receive ₹8 lakh annually under the proposed structure.
- To qualify, a player must meet MCA fitness requirements, be registered with the MCA, avoid India selection in the last two seasons, not be picked by an IPL franchise in the last two IPL seasons, and be recommended by the selection committee.
Three-tier contract structure for Mumbai domestic players
Under the plan cleared by the MCA’s Apex Council, the association will offer annual contracts to Mumbai players who fall outside two key categories: those who have not played for India and those not involved in the IPL. The MCA’s intention is to ensure financial stability for players who concentrate on Mumbai’s domestic pathway, while also introducing a clearer structure for earnings and career progression.
In the proposed grading model, Grade A cricketers will earn between ₹12 lakh and ₹20 lakh per annum. Grade B players are scheduled to receive between ₹8 lakh and ₹12 lakh each year, whereas Grade C contracts are set at ₹8 lakh annually. The MCA president Ajinkya Naik described the initiative as a forward-looking step, saying it marks a new chapter for Mumbai cricket and is meant to offer more security, better structure, and improved growth prospects for local players.
Eligibility conditions and how the scheme links to earlier MCA reforms
The MCA has also put in place five requirements that players must satisfy to be considered for a contract. First, the player must be registered with the MCA. Second, the cricketer has to meet the minimum fitness standards laid down by the association. Third, the player should not have represented the Indian team in any format during the previous two seasons. Fourth, the player must not have been selected by an IPL team in either of the last two IPL seasons. Finally, the player must be recommended by the selection committee.
This development follows a series of domestic-focused moves by the MCA. On March 23, 2024, the association announced a 100% increase in pay for its Ranji Trophy players. The aim was to strengthen incentives for red-ball cricket, with the MCA saying it would match the match fee paid by the BCCI, on top of the amount the BCCI already provides to the players, beginning with the 2024-25 domestic season.
Later, on June 14, the MCA stated that it would introduce central contracts for players. The purpose of that step was to deliver more structured support and financial security to emerging talent. Earlier, in 2022, the association had taken a decision to bring in a graded contract structure for players and then forward the proposal to the Cricket Improvement Committee (CIC) to finalise the operational details and modalities. The contract system is now set to be implemented with the 2026-27 season as the starting point for the new structure.
