former indian cricketer Sunil Gavaskar has urged the BCCI to take strict action against foreign players who deliberately cite injuries and withdraw from tournaments after failing to secure regular playing opportunities. He said that some cricketers take the IPL lightly and return to their country in the middle of the season to participate in domestic competitions.
Gavaskar stressed that such actions are unfair to the franchise, as finding suitable replacements at the advanced stage of the tournament is an extremely difficult task. He said teams invest significant resources in preparing their squads and should not struggle due to foreign players leaving prematurely.
Gavaskar wrote in his column for Sportstar, “The BCCI's ban of two years on people who appear in the auction and then withdraw at the last moment after being selected, not because of injury but because of a dispute with their local media, is another good move. They should also ban people who come to the IPL and when they realize that they are not being selected regularly, return home with the excuse of injury and then play their domestic cricket, Even if IPL is still going on.”
He said, “A lot of foreign players take the IPL lightly and sometimes, in connivance with their boards, make some excuse and do not play the entire tournament, as they had agreed upon before entering the auction. Franchises cannot afford to look for replacements at such a late stage, and hence they have no option but to wait for the board to release the player.”
The former Indian captain further explained that foreign cricket boards get 10% commission on the IPL earnings of their players if they are bought in the auction. He suggested that players should be paid in proportion to the number of matches available during the tournament. Gavaskar also made a direct attack on some foreign cricketers and said that the IPL has often turned relatively ordinary players into millionaires.
Gavaskar wrote, “Remember, the board gets 10% of the player's fee, not the player. This is an additional cost to the franchise, and that is why it is important for the BCCI to stand firm and ensure that this does not happen. The reduction in player fees should also apply to the percentage the foreign board gets for its player according to the number of matches he misses.”
“The world of cricket has been ruled by the old powers without giving anything to the other boards. Here, the BCCI is also giving to the boards, and hence they should say not to take the compulsion of the franchises as a weakness and cancel the contracts of those who do not want to play the entire tournament. No compromise. This IPL is not only the best T20 tournament in the world but also has a chance to make some ordinary foreign players millionaires,” he concluded.
Get every cricket update! Follow us: :
Leave a Reply