IndiaPost.com - BCCI officials off to Australia to settle tax problem

MUMBAI: A BCCI team, including tax consultant P B Srinivasan, is flying to Australia to resolve the Indian players' tax problem on the current tour. The other members of the team include the Board treasurer N Srinivasan and secretary Niranjan Shah.

"I am leaving for Australia tonight and will be joined there by Mr Srinivasan and our tax consultant P B Srinivasan. We will discuss the issue of tax asked to be paid by our players with Cricket Australia officials and we are confident the matter will be sorted out, BCCI secretary Niranjan Shah told PTI.

The problem has arisen due to the recent change in tax laws in Australia which make it mandatory for the visiting sportspersons to pay tax on money earned in the country.

The Indian players would be earning match fees for playing Tests and ODIs during the ongoing tour and according to media reports the tax burden collectively would be around USD 1.5 million.

The officials have been asked to deal with the problem by BCCI chief Sharad Pawar, who has also asked them to utilise the visit to honour Sourav Ganguly who is set to join the short list of 100-Test Indian club members when he turns out in the opening Test against Australia starting at the MCG on December 26.

Ganguly will be presented with a silver salver by the board, Shah said, adding he would also take the opportunity to discuss the Australians tour to India for a full-Test return series for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy with the CA officials.

The Australians are set to visit India in October, 2008 to play a four-Test rubber, having already taken part in a seven-match ODI series earlier this season.

Meanwhile, a meeting of the BCCIs Tours Programmes and Fixtures Committee has been convened in Mumbai on January 2, to finalize the tour schedule of South Africa when they visit India early next year.