Former Indian cricketer Sunil Gavaskar has once again ignited fresh debate around the participation of overseas players in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026. In his scathing attack, Gavaskar did not hold back as he questioned the level of commitment shown by overseas players, especially in light of recurring injury-related absences and workload concerns. In the ongoing season, several high-profile foreign players have either joined their franchises late or missed matches citing fitness issues. Gavaskar also expressed scepticism over the timing and frequency of such concerns, especially when they coincide with the IPL. Players like Mitchell Starc and Matheesha Pathirana have faced delays in joining their squads due to injury claims. Meanwhile, others such as Cameron Green have been under the spotlight for carefully managed workloads, which sometimes limit their full participation.
"To suggest that the franchise was 'informed before' is not a great excuse. And 'informed before' is how much before the opening day of the tournament? Playing for the country is paramount and comes before franchise cricket, but don't the franchises-who open not just their wallets but also their hearts to players and often their families-deserve full commitment?" Gavaskar wrote in his column for Sportstar.
"It is also worth remembering that a bowler can bowl only four overs in a match. If they have bowled a similar number of deliveries in practice without issue, what is stopping them from doing so in the game? As a bowler, you are expected to bowl 56 overs across 14 league games over two months and, if your team reaches the final, perhaps another two or three games and 12 more overs," he stated.
"C'mon, for a generation that keeps talking about how fit they are, that's no load at all. Four overs in a match-and not even in one stretch-is too much for the body? Man, if the body is that fragile, then it's best to give it two more months' rest, isn't it?" Gavaskar wrote.
Gavaskar noted that franchises invest enormous sums in acquiring overseas talent, and their unavailability or only partial involvement disrupts team balance.
"The IPL has been a cash cow not just for overseas players but for their Boards too. Does the average Indian fan know that Cricket Boards get 10% of the fee a player from their country is bought for? It is not clear whether the BCCI or the franchise pays this commission for issuing the No Objection Certificate."
"No other T20 league in the world pays a single dime to the Boards of overseas players. Not even The Hundred. Since four out of six teams [in other global leagues] have Indian owners, why not milk the cash cow?" Gavaskar asserted.