Dean Jones Roots For Equal Pay For Men & Women Cricketers In India

Former Australian cricketer, Dean Jones, feels happy that Australian women cricketers are now getting equal pay as men cricketers. Jones also wants the same to happen in India. Though he was not happy with the pay gap controversy of Cricket Australia (CA)-Australian Cricketers Association (ACA), he lauds the effort that went into bringing about gender pay equality.

“The best part of the whole press release sent by CA was that the women cricketers are getting equal pay as the men. Hopefully, it would happen to Indian women cricketers as well. After what the Indian women have done at the recent World Cup, young girls are inspired to play cricket for their country,” said Dean, TOI reported.

He has a new level of respect for the women cricketers today. He praised the Australian cricketers saying, “They have started to hit more sixes now. The women cricketers have certainly improved their power and their fitness. Australian cricketer Kane Williamson now makes lesser money than women cricketers Meg Lanning and Ellyse Perry.”

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Indian women cricketers recently received a pay hike. However, it is nowhere close to what male cricketers earn per series. Earlier, the women got Rs 3 lakh per series but it was increased to Rs 11 lakh per series right before the ICC World Cup.

BCCI has also revised the pension system in the recent past. In May this year, the board gave one-time benefit to former women cricketers. The board counted three One Day Internationals as one Test. Now those who played 9 or fewer Tests got Rs 15 lakh. Those in the 10-24 Tests bracket got Rs 25 lakh and players who participated in 25-49 Tests got Rs 30 lakh.

Revamping the pension scheme, BCCI promised cricketers who played 1-9 matches before 2003-04 Rs 15,000 a month and Rs 22,000 to those who played more than 10 Tests.

Picture credit- Cricket Country