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Legendary Indian cricketer Sunil Gavaskar has openly criticized the BCCI and the IPL critics, as several former players and experts have questioned the growing influence of franchise leagues, especially after the end of the 2026 IPL season.
Gavaskar strongly supported IPL and BCCI and said that despite constant criticism from abroad, Indian cricket is making a big contribution to the global game.
Sunil Gavaskar hits out at critics as debate over IPL vs international cricket intensifies
Recently, many former cricketers and experts raised questions as to why some cricketers chose to stay with their IPL teams instead of returning to national duty. However, Gavaskar believes the criticism is unfair after exposing the IPL official’s bad behavior during the 2026 season.
England fast bowler Jofra Archer faced heavy criticism when he decided to stay with Rajasthan Royals for the IPL 2026 playoffs and not play the first Test against New Zealand. In a massive IPL impact, Jordan Cox was seen wearing Virat Kohli’s shoes during the T20 Blast match.
Before Archer, young England batsman Jacob Bethel had also opted to stay with RCB during IPL 2026 instead of playing county cricket despite the Test season approaching. This sparked fresh discussion over whether franchise cricket was being prioritized over international commitments.
However, Sunil Gavaskar argued that while Indian cricket and the BCCI often face criticism, many of the same people also benefit from the money and opportunities created by the IPL and its immense global popularity. They made fun of him. How can they ignore this luxury while raising questions on BCCI?
Sunil Gavaskar, in his column for Mid-Day, wrote: “It is natural to criticize Indian cricket and the BCCI. But when it comes to revenue, they still have to come to the BCCI because it is Indian cricket and Indian fans that fill their coffers much more than their traditional rivalry.”
The great batsman said, “Complaining about the IPL and their players not being available for their country is another favorite pastime. However, not a word is said about the 10% their board gets from each player’s fees for their country. This adds up to over a million pounds every year.”
Sunil Gavaskar highlights IPL’s unique financial model, hits out at critics
Gavaskar also highlighted that foreign cricket boards get a share of their players’ IPL earnings, giving them a significant financial boost every year. Gavaskar further explained that many other T20 leagues around the world do not offer the same financial benefits to foreign cricket boards, making the IPL unique in the way it supports the broader cricket ecosystem.
The great batsman believes that Indian cricket has become one of the biggest driving forces in the game and despite external criticism, it will continue to play a major role in the future.
Gavaskar signed off by saying, “Does The Hundred give any percentage to its foreign players’ boards playing in its tournaments? No sir. Does the BBL or any other country’s T20 league give any percentage to its foreign players’ boards? No sir, again. Only the IPL does. Yet the whining about BCCI and Indian cricket goes on. Wake up and enjoy your coffee, friends. Indian cricket is here to stay, whether you want to put it down to it or not.” No matter how hard you try to pull.”