BCCI announce huge cash rewards for Indian players and support staff

After the historic 2-1 Test series win over Australia down under, the BCCI have announced a cash reward for all the players and the support staff.

The amount the players will be receiving is equal to the actual match fee they receive. Hence, the first-team players will be receiving ₹ 15 lakhs while the reserve players will be receiving ₹ 7.5 lakhs each. Meanwhile, the coaches will receive ₹ 25 lakhs each and the support staff will receive bonuses equivalent to their pro-rata salary/professional fee.

After the draw at Sydney in the final Test, India ended a 71-year wait of winning a Test series in Australia. The tour began with a win at Adelaide before Australia came bouncing back to win the second Test at Perth by 146 runs.

However, India came back strong to win the Boxing Day Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground by 137 runs to take a 2-1 lead. India were well on top in the fourth and final Test as well as they had enforced a follow-on after scoring 622 in the first innings and bowling Australia out for 300. However, bad weather on the final two days did not allow much play to happen.

Ravi Shastri, who coached the team to success, felt that this victory was even greater than the 1983 World Cup.

"Sheer hard work, determination.. taking pride in one owns performance and the team's performance... all those qualities came into play for executing a performance like this," Shastri told India Today on Tuesday.

"We have done well over the year with wins in South Africa, England and a win in Melbourne. But we weren't able to put it across the finishing line. And this new year when it happened, it was an awesome feeling," he continued.

India will now take on Australia in a three-match ODI series which begins on January 12.