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Decoding India’s Cricket Success: The Role of Policy, Governance and Investment

By Sangeeta Singh
Published Mar 20, 2026

On 15 March the Naman Awards rolled out in Delhi to recognise domestic and International cricket players from India was very special. Members of all five winning Indian teams were invited alongside BCCI (Board of Control for Cricket in India) dignitaries and ICC (the International Cricket Council) chairman Jay Shah.

The BCCI Naman Awards are a bunch of annual cricket awards given by the BCCI. The awards honour the best Indian international and domestic cricketers for the past year.

So what was new this time? The award ceremony celebrated India’s five ICC World Cup-winning teams from the historic season. These included the women’s U-19 team that lifted the T20 World Cup 2025 and the men’s U-19 team that won the Cricket World Cup (one day international-ODI) in 2026, India’s 2025 ICC Champions Trophy team and the senior women’s team honoured for their historic ODI World Cup win at home in 2025. All these, followed by senior men’s ICC Men’s T20 World Cup where the team defeated the New Zealand national cricket team by 96 runs in the finals at Ahmedabad on 8 March.

This victory made India the first team to win the T20 World Cup three times, the first team to successfully defend the title and also the first team to achieve the feat on home soil.

So are these just statistics, or one-off achievements? No. As coach Rahul Dravid, who was honoured with the Col CK Nayudu Lifetime Achievement Award, put it — this remarkable run of trophies reflects how India’s vast cricketing potential is translating into sustained success and that almost everything is coming together at this point of time. Dravid credited the success to factors such as players, administrators, infrastructure and the country’s vast fan base.

Role of Governance, Infrastructure and Financial Incentives

All of these factors have a role to play. For instance, the BCCI has been liberal and transparent with the retainership fee for the players. The latest Annual Player Contracts for Team India Senior Men and Senior Women for the 2025-26 season (October 1st, 2025 to September 30th, 2026) into Grade A, B and C with parity for women cricketers are mentioned on BCCI website.¹

Support staff are also recognised well. For instance, after India’s historic win in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, BCCI announced a cash reward of Rs 131 crore for the entire squad and support staff with the prize money to be shared among the 15 players, coaching staff, and support members who helped the team become champions. Similar rewards were announced for the T20 World Cup win in 2024 thus demonstrating recognition for winning international games. While the BCCI announces cash awards, the respective state government works on improving infrastructure such as stadiums and providing administrative support to matches. To attract fans to attend matches in Women’s World Cup 2025, for instance, tickets were kept at very low rates.² Ticket prices started at a low of just Rs 100.³

Ensuring Discipline, Participation and Gender Parity

To make sure parity is maintained amongst all players in different grades and instil belongingness to the country the BCCI made it mandatory for all national team players to play at least two one-day matches of the Vijay Hazare Trophy in 2025.

Gender parity is another thing that is being followed at the highest levels. While the Prime Minister Narendra Modi personally hosted the women champions (both in ODI series and Blind Women’s T20 World Cup 2025) BCCI honoured former captain Mithali Raj with Lifetime Achievement Award for Women at Naman Awards, thus recognising her global stature in women’s cricket.⁴

Steady steps by the BCCI and enabling policies by state governments have led to improved infrastructure, pay equity, cash rewards etc. The BCCI introduced a fee equity policy, ensuring women cricketers receive the same match fees as men for international matches in test series, one-day international and T20.

State-Level Support and Grassroots Momentum

Jammu and Kashmir’s maiden triumph in the Ranji Trophy India’s premier domestic championship earlier in March marked a milestone. Following the emphatic victory, the state government announced a cash reward of ₹2 crore for the players and support staff and assured that the players would be entitled to government appointments under the recently notified rules for outstanding sportspersons.

Various state governments have been rewarding winning cricketers with cash prizes and recognition. Such incentives will make Indian cricket stronger to make its mark in the forthcoming Olympics games in 2028 scheduled in the US.

FAQs

1. What role do enabling policies play in the success of Indian cricket?

Enabling policies help strengthen infrastructure, ensure financial stability for players, promote transparency, and create a supportive ecosystem that drives consistent performance at both domestic and international levels.

2. How does the BCCI’s player contract system reflect policy intervention?

The graded contract system with defined retainership fees ensures financial security, performance incentives, and structured talent management, making it a key institutional policy framework.

3. What is the significance of pay equity policy in Indian cricket?

The pay equity policy ensures equal match fees for men and women cricketers, promoting gender equality and setting a benchmark for inclusive sports governance.

4. What is the role of the government in supporting cricket development in India?

The government supports cricket through infrastructure development, stadium upgrades, policy facilitation, and initiatives to increase public participation such as affordable ticket pricing.

5. How do sports policies contribute to long-term talent development?

Policies focusing on infrastructure, training, financial incentives, and grassroots participation create a sustainable ecosystem for nurturing future talent.

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