Former India captain Sunil Gavaskar has urged the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to take strict action against overseas players who allegedly feign injuries after failing to secure a regular place in their Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise's playing XI. The cricket legend said such practices are unfair to teams that invest heavily in players expecting them to be available for the entire tournament.

Writing in his column for Sportstar, Sunil Gavaskar said some overseas cricketers treat the IPL "for granted" by returning home midway through the season and later participating in domestic competitions despite citing injuries. Without naming any individual, he argued that such actions disrupt franchise planning and leave teams struggling to find suitable replacements during the tournament.

Sunil Gavaskar welcomed the BCCI's existing rule that imposes a two-year ban on players who enter the IPL auction but withdraw after being selected for reasons other than injury. He suggested that the same strict approach should be extended to players who leave the competition midway after claiming injuries and subsequently feature in domestic cricket while the IPL is still in progress.

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The former captain also pointed out that IPL franchises face significant challenges when overseas players become unavailable at short notice. According to Sunil Gavaskar, teams cannot easily secure replacements once the tournament is underway and are often forced to wait for the respective cricket boards to release alternative players, affecting squad balance and overall performance.

Highlighting the financial aspect, Sunil Gavaskar noted that overseas cricket boards receive a 10 percent commission on the auction fees paid by IPL franchises. He proposed that player salaries should be linked to the number of matches they are available for, with corresponding reductions in the commissions paid to their national boards if players miss games without genuine reasons.

Taking a direct swipe at certain foreign recruits, Sunil Gavaskar remarked that the IPL has become "the making of millionaires out of some really ordinary overseas players." He stressed that the BCCI should adopt a firm stance and ensure that players and cricket boards honour their commitments, arguing that stronger enforcement would protect franchises and preserve the integrity of what he described as the world's premier T20 league.

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