ISL clubs send strong reply! seek amendment in AIFF constitution in the next AGM
All ISL clubs, except East Bengal, have sent a strong reply to the All India Football Federation (AIFF) telling that the discussions of hosting by the consortium set by the clubs themselves would only be purposeful if two crucial articles in the AIFF constitution, Article 1.54 and 63 are not amended at the earliest. The letter, sent on Thursday, comes a day after AIFF’s Deputy Secretary General, M. Satyanarayan, wrote to the clubs asking for a call to explore the possibility of jointly hosting the league, to which the reply reads ‘deflects responsibility onto the Clubs while simultaneously citing constitutional restrictions as justification for the Federation’s inaction’. The Article 1.54 and 63 pertain to the power of authorisation of ownership of the league and its entities, both of which are owned by the AIFF. “The Clubs remain open and committed to working with the AIFF towards a club-led model, consistent with global best practices. However, for such a model to be financially and operationally viable, Clubs must have commercial flexibility—including the ability to attract sponsors, investors, and long-term partners,” the letter, written by Vinay Chopra, the director of Mohun Bagan Super Giant, on behalf of all clubs, read. “This is not possible until the commercially restrictive clauses in the AIFF Constitution are amended or removed. Without this change, no sustainable league structure can be built, regardless of good intentions.” The letter also has mentioned that If the process of finding out a suitable commercial partner through the initiative of AIFF, Union Sports Ministry and the clubs after amendment of the two said articles fails, then Federation may hand over the long-term rights of the league to the clubs, who are prepared.
Two Indian-origin cricketers included in the Australia Under-19 World Cup squad
Two Indian-origin players — Aryan Sharma and John James — have been selected in Australia’s 15-member squad for the men’s Under-19 World Cup, scheduled to be held in Namibia and Zimbabwe from January 15 to February 6. Aryan, an all-rounder who is an effective batsman and a slow left-arm spinner, and James, a right-arm medium pace all-rounder, were both part of the squad that played against India in the youth Tests and one-day internationals in September. Besides cricketers of Indian heritage, the squad features two players of Sri Lankan (Naden Cooray and Nitesh Samuel) and one of Chinese Origin (Alex Lee Young). Australia enters the tournament as defending champions, with Oliver Peake as captain. “We’re delighted to announce a strong and well-balanced squad for the ICC Under-19 World Cup. Our focus has been on selecting a group with complementary skill sets that provide the best chance of success in the tournament,” head coach Tim Nielsen said in a release. “The players named have impressed with their performances during the U19 series against India in September and at the recent National U19 Championship in Perth. “It’s an exciting group; some have already experienced senior training environments, while others are progressing rapidly through our pathway.” Australia is placed in Group A alongside Ireland, Japan, and Sri Lanka. The team will reach Namibia in early January and play warm-up matches from January 9–14. “The World Cup is a fantastic opportunity for these young cricketers to showcase their talent and test themselves against the best in the world,” Nielsen said.
Is BCCI planning to deduct Rs 2 Crore each from Virat and Rohit’s salaries?
There is a buzz already floating in the country’s cricket fraternity that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is mulling over deduction of Rs 2 crore each from the annual salaries of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma! The central contracts for players across 4 categories annually. These contracts are the official retainers that bind the nation’s elite cricketers to the national team. The nature of the contract and the remuneration that comes with it, however, depend upon the contribution of the player in the three formats of the game. The BCCI last awarded the central contracts to its players in April 2025, but the news of stalwarts Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma facing a pay cut in the next cycle has already started buzzing. The central contracts are a carefully calibrated mechanism designed to reward performance, incentives for participation, especially in the Test format, while also maintaining the highest standards of professionalism within the squad. The BCCI’s contract system is divided into four distinct grades — A+, A, B, and C — each carrying a fixed annual salary, known as the retainership. This amount is paid to the player regardless of how many matches they play throughout the year, standing separate from their match-fee earnings. The allocation of grades, however, is an annual exercise undertaken by the BCCI, working in close consultation with the selection committee, head coach and the team captain. Here’s how the grades are decided: Placed in the A+ category at present, both Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma may be demoted to ‘A’ category as they are no longer active players in the Test and T-20I format. Rabindra Jadeja retired from T20Is too, might remain in the A+ category as he is still an active member of India’s Test team. If Kohli and Rohit do get dropped to the A category, they would each earn Rs 2 crore less in the ‘A contract’ (Rs 5 crore), in comparison to the ‘A+ contract’ (Rs 7 crore).
