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Endorsement issue: Dravid for healthy discussion with BCCI
By IANS,
Apr 8, 2007 - 10:55:30 PM
Mumbai, April 8 - A day after the Indian cricket board came down heavily on the players and drastically cut down their earnings, captain Rahul Dravid said Sunday that he was for a 'healthy dialogue' between the two parties on the issue.
'The interests of the players' and the BCCI - are inclusive and not exclusive,' Dravid said in a statement.
'The BCCI has always been very caring and considerate about the players' interests and I am sure that the BCCI would discuss the issue with the players at a suitable time,' he said.
Following its working committee meeting here Saturday, the board announced a series of measures curtailing players' income from endorsements and scrapped their graded payment system.
These measures are largely a result of the hullabaloo following the Dravid-led Indian team's first-round exit from the World Cup in the West Indies, after losing two of the three matches in their group. One repercussion of the debacle was the exit of coach Greg Chappell, as he decided not to renew his contract that expired with the World Cup.
The board also said that no player would have exclusive contracts with electronic/print media once their present contracts expired. Only Dravid can now write a column.
Dravid said he would like to talk to the board at an appropriate time.
'When this opportunity arises then we shall jointly examine the areas of concern and bother and crease out the irksome issues and work out a package that can take care of the collective interests and concerns of the BCCI and the players,' he said.
'It is not correct to project this whole issue as a conflict of commercial interests of the players and the BCCI. Let me clarify that there is no conflict between the players' and the BCCI.'
Dravid will lead India on the tour to Bangladesh, England and Scotland. The Bangladesh tour is next month and the tour of England and Scotland is from July to September.
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