Indian batting great Sunil Gavaskar has strongly criticised overseas players who withdraw from the IPL after being picked by franchises, calling for stricter action against those who fail to honour their commitments.
Writing in his column for Sportstar, Gavaskar backed the BCCI’s decision to impose a two-year ban on players who register for the IPL auction, get selected by a franchise and then pull out without a genuine reason.
If you enjoyed reading this article, you can help support our journalism by adding OHeraldo as a preferred source.
“The BCCI’s ban for two years on those who enter the auction and, after being picked, then withdraw at the last moment is a good move,” Gavaskar wrote.
However, the former India captain argued that the punishment should go even further. He took aim at players who arrive for the tournament, fail to secure a regular place in the playing XI and then reportedly cite injuries before returning home, only to feature in domestic competitions while the IPL is still underway.
“They should also ban those who come to the IPL and, when they find they aren’t being picked regularly, feign an injury and return home and then play in their domestic cricket even while the IPL is still going on,” Gavaskar said.
The 76-year-old did not name any player directly but suggested that franchises and the BCCI should send a stronger message by terminating contracts of players who do not wish to remain available for the entire season.
“No compromises. This is the IPL, not just the best T20 tournament in the world, but also the making of millionaires out of some really ordinary overseas players,” he added.
Gavaskar’s comments come amid recent controversy surrounding England all-rounder Sam Curran, who withdrew from IPL 2026 citing injury concerns but later appeared for Surrey in the T20 Blast, sparking debate over player commitments and franchise obligations.
