More Tests for India in the next cycle

The BCCI has signed bilateral agreements that have confirmed India playing 20 Tests against England, 16 against Australia and 12 against South Africa during the eight-year cycle from 2015 to 2023. This is in addition to the six bilateral series against Pakistan, pending government clearance, during the same period.

India's tour to Australia in December 2014, which includes four Tests and a tri-series also involving England, could be their last tour featuring the team playing across several formats. The BCCI has decided to take the Cricket Australia route and avoid what are considered as lengthy, full tours - with Tests and limited-overs matches - to major cricket-playing nations in the coming eight-year cycle.

"We would have obviously liked long tours both home and away with key countries," Sanjay Patel, the BCCI secretary who was inducted into the ICC governance committee, told ESPNcricinfo. "However, Australia are unwilling to tour for more than six weeks anywhere except England, so we have also decided to split the Test and ODI tours to Australia."

Patel added the decision would result in India playing more series at home, which would add to BCCI earnings from broadcast rights revenue, but he said, also allow key players to participate in domestic tournaments. "Over the last few years, the participation of main players in domestic tournaments has been on a decline," Patel said. "So the decision to play more series at home would help them play domestic cricket."

The crux of the reworked ICC revenue model is that India will be getting lion's share from the revenue that ICC generates from hosting the three major world events. With the new financial model, India will be entitled to a "contribution cost" - participation fee in world events - which is nearly double of all the other nine full members combined. Assuming that the ICC generates USD 3000 million, India will be entitled to 21.9%, while the other nine boards put together will get 12.6%.

Reiterating that the new financial model would guarantee more money to each of the ten full members compared to the previous model, Patel said the additional revenue - projected at approximately $670million over the next eight years in comparison with $53 million in the ongoing cycle - would result in more money to be handed over to BCCI affiliates as well as domestic players.

"With the additional revenue, all the BCCI members would take home much more cricket development fund, which would help creating top-class infrastructure in mofussil places (smaller centres)," Patel said. "Besides, there will be a substantial rise in match-fees of all the domestic players."

The BCCI distributes 26% of its profits among players, with international and domestic players sharing 13% apiece. As a result, player earnings differ every year depending on the BCCI's profits. The additional revenue generated through ICC fees could well see the remuneration of domestic players - estimated at Rs 35000 (approximately $583) per match day - doubling in the next eight years.

For the 2009-10 domestic season, a senior domestic cricketer earned approximately Rs 25,500 per match-day. Since the BCCI's profits are approved during its annual general meeting in September, a player is given Rs 10,000 per match-day after every game in the ongoing season till then. The remaining dues are usually settled before the start of the next season.

With the new Ranji Trophy format, a top domestic cricketer plays at least 50 days of cricket. A player who featured for his state team in all three formats in the 2012-13 season would have earned at least Rs 16 lakh as his match fees. Most of the state associations also distribute a part of their team sponsorship money to their players.