Ex-India Coach Ravi Shastri Says India Should Get Even Larger Share of ICC Revenue
As global scrutiny intensifies over cricket’s financial structure, former India head coach and current broadcaster Ravi Shastri has thrown his support behind the ICC’s controversial revenue-sharing model, which grants India the lion’s share of earnings.
Speaking on the Wisden Cricket Weekly Podcast, Shastri defended the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) receiving 38.5% of the ICC’s projected $600 million revenue for the 2024–27 cycle—the largest cut among Full Member nations.
“I would want more [for India]. Because half the money—most of the money—that’s generated comes from India. So it’s only fair that they get their share of… pound of flesh. And it’s relative, you know, it’s economies,” Shastri said.
Alongside England and Australia, India forms the so-called ‘Big Three’, collectively receiving 48.2% of the revenue. This leaves a significantly smaller portion for the remaining nine Test-playing nations, raising concerns of growing inequality within international cricket.
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Shastri added, “When India travel, look at the television rights, look at the income that comes for an India series. So it’s only fair that they get whatever they’re getting now, if not more.”
The debate surrounding the distribution of revenue is heating up amid fears that global cricket is increasingly catering to the commercial interests of dominant nations. There are proposals suggesting that from 2029 onward, only India, Australia, and England will retain traditional five-day Tests, while others may be relegated to playing four-day versions.
Critics argue this shift widens the financial and competitive gap between cricket’s elite and emerging teams, undermining the principle of equal opportunity and the global growth of the game. Still, many from within the Big Three continue to advocate for the current model, asserting that India’s unmatched economic contribution merits its larger stake.
While India’s role in cricket’s commercial success is undisputed, the growing financial divide calls for serious reflection on the future of a balanced and inclusive international cricket landscape.
