NEW DELHI: Legendary Sunil Gavaskar has sparked a fresh debate in IPL 2026, urging the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to crack down on players who do not fully perform their designated roles — with KKR all-rounder Cameron Green emerging as a talking point for not bowling due to workload concerns.In his column for Sportstar, Gavaskar questioned the growing trend of all-rounders featuring purely as batters, despite being picked for their dual skillsets. “A bowler can bowl only four overs in a match… what is stopping them from doing so in the game?” he wrote, in a stinging critique of workload management narratives.‘If not fit, don’t play’Gavaskar made it clear that players who are not fully fit should step aside before the tournament begins. “It is only fair that a player not fit from day one should withdraw and give the franchise the chance to pick someone else,” he stated.The former India captain dismissed the argument that franchises were informed in advance. “To suggest that the franchise was ‘informed before’ is not a great excuse,” he added, questioning the timing and transparency of such disclosures. After Ajinkya Rahane’s jibe of “ask CA” over Cameron Green not bowling, Cricket Australia issued a clarification, stating that the franchise had been informed beforehand about the situation.His remarks come amid criticism of teams like Kolkata Knight Riders and Sunrisers Hyderabad, who have struggled with bowling combinations, partly due to key players not being available to bowl.‘Time for BCCI to step in’Drawing parallels with existing rules, Gavaskar suggested stricter intervention from the BCCI. “Maybe the BCCI needs to step in and… introduce something similar for players who are not available from the first game,” he wrote, referring to the two-year ban imposed on overseas players who pull out after being bought at auctions.He stressed that franchises, which invest heavily in players, deserve complete commitment. “Don’t the franchises… deserve full commitment?” he asked, highlighting the financial and emotional investment teams make.
Other cricket boards milking money for IPL NOCs
Gavaskar further disclosed that the IPL has not only been lucrative for overseas players but has also turned into a significant revenue stream for their respective cricket boards. A lesser-known aspect is that boards receive around 10% of a player’s auction fee as part of the No Objection Certificate (NOC) process.The scale of earnings is substantial. As per Gavaskar, in recent seasons, 16 Australian players have been signed for a combined Rs 121.65 crore, while 12 English players have fetched Rs 68 crore. New Zealand’s 12 players have earned over Rs 33 crore, South Africa’s 17 players around Rs 71 crore, and eight West Indies players close to Rs 59 crore. These figures translate into sizeable returns for their respective boards.What makes this arrangement stand out is its uniqueness. No other T20 league globally shares player auction revenues with cricket boards in this manner.
