The Indian Cricket Players' Association launched a much-needed medical insurance plan for cricketers on Thursday, and said it has started a membership drive simultaneously to expand its representative character.

Launching the scheme, India skipper Sourav Ganguly said apart from the entire Indian team, a number of Ranji trophy teams, like Bengal, Karnataka and Mumbai, have also signed on as members.

He said with the game becoming highly competitive and chances of injury jeopardising a career high, a medical scheme is badly needed for cricketers.

Former Test batsman and ICPA vice-president Arun Lal said the newly-launched scheme would cover only members of the association.

The scheme, launched in collaboration with National Insurance and Medicare Service Club, will provide Rs 350,000 towards medical aid to a cricketer and his family.

Lal said, in the first phase, all international cricketers, past and present, who played Test or one-day cricket, as well as current first class players would be covered under the scheme.

Ganguly, one of the founder members of the ICPA, said the scheme would provide much help for cricketers as it would be a cash-less deal and executed through a Medicare card.

Former India all-rounder and noted commentator Ravi Shastri, who was also present at the launch, said the ICPA has a number of plans for the country's cricketers, which would be announced in due course.

The ICPA was launched with much fanfare last year in the wake of the Players' Contract controversy.

To a question, Lal said the association is yet to write to the Board of Control for Cricket in India about its existence, but said, "I am pretty sure they (the BCCI) must be aware of this."

The BCCI had earlier refused to recognise any role of the ICPA while dealing with Indian cricketers on the contract issue. The board had then negotiated directly with the concerned cricketers.

Asked whether the ICPA would like to negotiate with the board to sort out the still pending contract issue, Lal said, "We represent our members and we would like to play a facilitator's role. Whenever required we will definitely play our role."