New Delhi: Despite the International Cricket Council (ICC) climb-down, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on Saturday asked its players to sign the 30-day bar clause on conflict advertising within the next two days as the selection committee will meet in Kolkata on Monday to choose the "best available" team for the Champions Trophy in Sri Lanka next week.

Announcing the decision after a four-hour meeting of the working committee called to discuss the implications of the ICC-players deal reached in London on Friday, BCCI chief Jagmohan Dalmiya told newsmen that only players who agree to sign the Players' Terms form will be considered for selection on Monday.

He said the Board would compensate the players for any financial loss that may arise out of signing the agreement.

Curiously, the ICC had agreed to reduce the number of days to 18 after the September 12-29 event in its agreement with the players under which they had to restrain from conflict advertising.

Explaining the decision to insist on the 30-day clause, Dalmiya said the BCCI had asked ICC to give in writing that it would not be called upon to pay damages in case any of the tournament sponsors later demanded compensation for losses due to ICC's decision to limit the conflict advertising to 18 days after the tournament.

"But the ICC has refused to give such a letter of assurance," he said.

Dalmiya said instead of paying money to the sponsors later, BCCI decided to compensate the players and that was why it was asking them to sign the 30-day clause.

Asked about the amount of compensation to the players, he said BCCI had given them a "blank cheque".

He said this latest offer to the players was "unalterable" and limited to Champions Trophy only.

Asked whether he was rejecting the deal arrived at between ICC and the players, Dalmiya said, "It is not a question of rejecting the deal. This is just a fresh proposal to the players and it is up to them to decide."

Dalmiya said 24 of the 25 probables selected to field a second-string side earlier had signed the agreement.

"Whoever is ready to sign will be considered for selection," he said.

Regarding the players forming an association to represent them, Dalmiya said, "There is nothing wrong with the players forming a representative body. We have no problems with it."

Extras:
Players given time till Sept 9 to sign contract