Mumbai Cricket Association proposes retainer contracts for men and women players

The Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) president Vijay Patil proposed retainer contracts for men and women players of Mumbai, following the team’s successful domestic season in 2021-22. It was approved earlier in the week during an apex council meeting, and it will need further approval in an Annual General Meeting (AGM), which might be held in August.

Patil said that there had always been a question of providing security to the domestic players and making sure that the talented players were retained in the team. He feels that the gradation contracts would give the association an opportunity to invest in young talents.

“Mumbai has performed extremely well this year and there was always this question of providing security to our domestic players and making sure that we retain the talent pool which we have in Mumbai cricket,” Patil told ESPNcricinfo. “I think the gradation contracts will give us an opportunity to invest in our young talent. I am very happy that the apex council has unanimously approved this.” 

“Once we have the ground rules laid out, we’ll be good to go,” said the MCA president. “I know that there will be issues and that will take some time. I think it is important that we roll it out and then it can be fine-tuned as we roll along.” He believes that once the start is made, everything else would fall in place, mentioning that he is happy the proposal was approved.

“Nothing is like a perfect system, but we’ve got to make a start. Once that start is made, I think everything else will fall into place. This is the association’s commitment to the players. Given the performance of our various squads across different age groups, everyone was of the same opinion that this needed to be done. I am happy that this proposal has been approved and I am looking forward to it,” added Patil.

In the Ranji Trophy 2021-22 season, Mumbai qualified for the final and lost to the winners, Madhya Pradesh, in June. They had some top performers such as Sarfaraz Khan, who was the top scorer of the competition with 982 runs in six matches, and Shams Mulani, who was the top wicket-taker with 45 wickets in six matches.