LUCKNOW, Aug. 31 -- The Mumbai Cricket Association recently introducing player contracts has encouraged its Uttar Pradesh counterpart to also take up the issue. It is likely to discuss it with all stakeholders at next month's AGM in Kanpur. MCA has become the first state unit to introduce contracts for domestic players. It is seen as a major step towards financial stability for domestic cricketers. The contracts that will begin from the 2026-27 season will see players placed in three grades - Grade A (Rs.12 lakh-Rs.20 lakh per year), Grade B (Rs 8 lakh-Rs 12 lakh) and Grade C (Rs 8 lakh). The association has also laid down clear eligibility criteria. A player must be registered with the MCA, meet the minimum fitness standards set by the association, and must not have represented India in any format during the previous two seasons. In addition, the player should not have been selected by any IPL team in the last two IPL seasons. Final selection for the contracts will be based on recommendations from the selection committee. The MCA initiative may therefore become a template for other state associations, especially those looking to strengthen domestic cricket and retain talent. If UPCA moves ahead with both a player contract system and a pension framework, it could mark a meaningful shift in how state-level cricket bodies support their players, both present and past. UPCA secretary Prem Manohar Gupta backed a similar scheme for the state's cricketers. "We can think over this issue in our AGM. We'll discuss its pros and cons and if all goes well we too will try to implement this in Uttar Pradesh from next year," he said. In the past UPCA sanctioned a one-time amount to former cricketers, although there have been repeated demands from ex-cricketers for introducing regular pension like BCCI does for former internationals. "It's true that we don't give pension to our former players, but we are thinking on this line, how we can help the former cricketers who aren't covered in BCCI's pension scheme. We will surely discuss this issue for its implementation," Gupta said....