No Discussion Around Kohli and Co. Taking Pay Cuts Amid COVID-19 Threat: BCCI Treasurer

Speaking to IANS, Dhumal made it clear that there have been no such discussions and while the setback from the pandemic will be huge, salary cut isn't in the mind of the board.

Photo: AFP/Getty Images

New Delhi: Sportspersons being asked to take pay cuts have been making news ever since the outbreak of the coronavirus brought the world to a standstill. But Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) Treasurer Arun Dhumal has made it clear that there is no such thought process at present when it comes to the salary of the Indian cricketers.

Speaking to IANS, Dhumal made it clear that there have been no such discussions and while the setback from the pandemic will be huge, salary cut isn't in the mind of the board. "No, we have not spoken about this (pay cut). Whatever the steps after this setback, it will be taken judiciously and keeping the interest of all people in mind. Any step taken needs to be thought out and right now we haven't even thought about it. Obviously this is a big setback, but we will go about this in a way that nobody gets affected. These things can be discussed once things settle down," he said. Players' wages have been cut in recent times and even a club like Barcelona had to ask its football stars to take a wage cut leading to reports that the likes of Lionel Messi weren't too happy with the decision. But Messi came out and cleared the air. "A lot has been written and said about the football first team at Barcelona, when it comes to the players' salaries during this state of alarm. "First of all, we would like to clarify that we have always been willing to accept a wage cut, because we understand perfectly that this is an exceptional situation and we are always the first to help the club when we have been asked to. "For that reason, we cannot help but be surprised by the fact that from within the club there are those trying to put us under the microscope or apply pressure for us to do something that we have always been clear that we would do. "If an agreement has taken a few days to be reached it is simply because we were seeking a formula to help the club and also to help its employees in these very difficult times," explained Messi. In fact, even the Indian cricketers have come out and made donations as the country looks to fight the coronavirus outbreak with skipper Kohli himself donating Rs 3 crore along with his actress wife Anushka Sharma.