Demonetisation hits India, England players hard

Ahead of the third Test in Mohali, BCCI officials on Thursday were busy arranging for cash cards for the teams.

It isn’t just the common man struggling to come to terms with demonitisation. The India and England teams are feeling the heat as well.

Since the new currency notes are in short supply, the BCCI decided to buy cash cards for the players (AP)

Ahead of the third Test in Mohali, BCCI officials on Thursday were busy arranging for cash cards for the teams.

“Cash cards are being arranged for the players,” Board secretary Ajay Shirke told HT when asked if the players were facing a cash crunch. “We are trying to provide the facility to the teams,” he said.

Since the new currency notes are in short supply, the BCCI decided to buy cash cards for the players.

To use the facility, one has to buy a card and load it with a certain amount and use it at convenience.

The players have been using credit and debit cards, but they still need money to pay for certain things.

HT has learnt that the India players were paid a part of their daily allowance in R100 notes during the Visakhapatnam Test.

Earlier, due to the legal tussle with the Supreme Court, the BCCI was not in a position to bear the expenditure of the England team. Then, on November 8, a day before the first Test in Rajkot, the government scrapped the R500 and 1,000 notes.

As per the understanding between the two cricket boards, an England player is entitled to 50 pound sterling (R4250) as daily allowance but they are yet to get it.

The India team members get $125 (R8375) per day on international tours and $100 (R6800) in a home series.