"In addition to the flat retainer of Rs five lakh the players would be entitled for match fees and bonus," said cricket board Secretary Niranjan Shah on his return from the West Indies.

Unhappy over the dismal performance of the team in the World Cup, the board's working committee had decided at its World Cup review meeting here on April 7 to abolish graded payment for the players and instead introduce a flat retainer.

Till the end of September 2006, the players were divided into three categories -- A, B and C -- and awarded annual retainers of Rs 50, Rs 35 and Rs 20 lakh respectively.

There are some changes in the match fees for the players and they would get approximately Rs 1.5 and Rs 2.5 lakh per ODI and Test respectively.

Shah said there will also be a bonus for winning a match and a series separately but there won't be any deduction for losses.

All these amounts as well as the condition that the players' individual endorsements would be limited to three per head have been included in the contracts clauses to be signed by the players before they leave for Bangladesh on May 7, Shah said.

Shah termed as "hypothetical" a question what decision would the cricket board take if the players refuse to sign on the dotted line.

"I can't answer hypothetical questions. Let us wait and see. I have just come today from abroad. I am going to Kolkata on Saturday, the last day of the conditioning camp for the team", he said.

Shah maintained that the players would not be the losers due to the reduced retainer fees and match fees as they are entitled for bonus payments if they end up victorious.

Earlier, the contracted players received Rs 1.5 and Rs 2.5 lakh per ODI and Test while the non-contracted cricketers got Rs 2 and Rs 3.5 lakh respectively.

The players (international and domestic equally) were also receiving 26 per cent of the gross revenue of the board, including for TV rights, till it was decided at the last AGM of the BCCI that the amount due to the players would exclude revenue from the lucrative TV rights.

Meanwhile, India's batting star Sachin Tendulkar, who sprained his ankle yesterday, rejoined the Bangladesh-bound team's practice session in Kolkata yesterday for a few knockings on the second day of the conditioning camp.

"Sachin continues to get ice treatment. Physio John Gloster says he is improving," Indian team's administrative manager Surendra Bhave said.

Tendulkar, who skipped the morning practice session, took the willow for about 15 minutes at the indoor gymnasium adjacent to Eden Gardens in the afternoon.

Tendulkar was present throughout in the outdoor session though he did not take part in the activities. However, an indicator of his improved condition was that he did not seem to be in discomfort while walking.

Bhave said as much. "You saw he was walking freely. He doesn't have much of a swelling. The pain is also not there."

Middle order batsman VVS Laxman was down with gastroenteritis and could not join the camp. The batsman from Hyderabad needs time to recover before joining the camp, Bhave added.