BCCI's benefit scheme welcome, but will help few

The BCCI's benefit scheme for former players from the proceeds of the IPL play-off matches will exclude several cricketers due to the eligibility criteria of having played at least 75 first-class games, says Makarand Waingankar in the Hindu. He writes that the board should also look at the monetary needs of umpires and ground staff.

There are players like M. Balan Pandit of Kerala. In 24 years of playing first class cricket, Pandit played only 46 matches. From 1946 till 1958, he played in the Ranji knockout format. Not having played 75 first class matches, such players do not stand to gain anything from this scheme and they are more than 80 years old.