₹60,000 A Day And No Free Passes: BCCI Rewrites Umpire Rules

The BCCI has approved a major restructuring of its domestic umpiring system, combining higher fees with a new performance-based grading and promotion structure aimed at improving accountability and standards among match officials.

The changes were approved at the board's Annual General Meeting on Friday, with BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia confirming that umpire and match referee fees have been revised for the first time in nearly a decade.

BCCI Umpires to be placed in four new grades

Under the revised structure, domestic umpires will be divided into four categories - A, B, C and D.

The existing structure of A+, A, B and C has been replaced, with the revised daily fees reported as:

The previous top two grades were paid ₹40,000 and ₹30,000 per day for senior domestic competitions, while the fee for T20 matches was ₹20,000.

Saikia said the previous fee structure had remained unchanged since 2017-18.

"For almost 10 years from 2017-18, there was no revision of the fees of the umpires so we have done a restructuring of their categories," he said.

The BCCI has also revised the fee structure for match referees, although specific figures were not disclosed.

Performance will determine promotions and relegations

The biggest change goes beyond remuneration, with the BCCI introducing a merit-based system for umpire appointments.

An assessment team operating under an umpires board will evaluate officials throughout the domestic season. Their performances will determine the level and assignments they receive.

At the end of each season, umpires can be upgraded or relegated based on their assessments.

"If they are doing good, (say) 10 umpires will be upgraded to the next level," Saikia explained. "Those umpires who are at the upper level, if they are not performing up to the satisfactory level, they will be downgraded."

The system is intended to make performance a more direct factor in appointments rather than relying solely on existing grades.

Why is the BCCI changing the system?

The BCCI's stated objective is to improve the quality and accountability of domestic officiating.

Saikia stressed the importance of umpiring decisions to players' careers, particularly in domestic cricket where performances can influence selection and progression.

"Some players' future depends on the decision of the umpires, so they have to be very competent and very alert," he said.

The restructuring therefore combines two elements: better financial compensation for officials and greater scrutiny of their performances.

The BCCI also approved updated age-fraud policies and new standard operating procedures for state associations, while asking state units to provide greater support to physically challenged cricketers.