Former Indian cricketer Sunil Gavaskar (ANI Image)
Sunil Gavaskar has strongly defended the IPL and BCCI amid renewed criticism from former players and commentators over the cricket franchise’s growing influence on the international calendar.The debate has intensified during and after the 2026 IPL season, especially in England, where concerns were raised about players prioritizing franchise commitments over national duty.
Most of the discussion centered on
Jofra Archer
who stayed with him
Rajasthan Royals
For the IPL qualifiers and therefore missed England’s opening Test against New Zealand.
Jacob Bethel
He was another player caught in the middle of controversy earlier in the season. After limited opportunities in the Indian Premier League, the former England captain
Alastair Cook
He suggested the youngster would have been better off returning to county cricket to prepare for the upcoming red-ball campaign. Former cricketers Simon Doll and
Michael Atherton
He also questioned Archer’s decision to continue in the Indian Premier League (IPL) rather than join the England Test team, reigniting the wider conversation around leagues and Test cricket.Writing in his column for Mid-Day, Gavaskar took issue with what he sees as constant criticism
Indian cricket
The BCCI of external votes. The former India captain argued that many of those who criticize the Indian Premier League ultimately benefit from the commercial power generated by Indian cricket and its vast fan base.“Indian cricket and BCCI are par for the course,” Gavaskar wrote in his Mid-Day column. “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 does.”
Gavaskar also pointed to the financial rewards that foreign cricket boards receive from Indian Premier League contracts involving their players. In his view, critics often ignore these advantages while continuing to complain about the unavailability of players for international matches during the tournament.“Winging about the Indian Premier League and the unavailability of its players for their country is another favorite pastime. Not a word about the 10% their boards get from each player’s fee from their country,” he added.The senior batsman also highlighted what he believes is the unique contribution that the IPL has made to world cricket, noting that overseas boards get a share of players’ earnings from the tournament.“It adds up to a cool £1 million every year. Do The Hundred give any percentage to the boards of their foreign players who play in their tournament? No sir. Do the BBL or any T20 leagues in any other country give any percentage to the boards of their foreign players.
No sir again. Only IPL does that. However, the grumbling and complaining about BCCI and Indian cricket continues. Wake up and smell the coffee, guys. “Indian cricket is here to stay, no matter how you try to bring it down,” he added.Gavaskar’s comments come at a time when the relationship between cricket and the international game is still hotly debated. While concerns remain about player workload and availability, the former India captain made it clear that he believes the IPL’s contribution to world cricket is often overlooked by its detractors.
