Legendary Indian cricketer Sunil Gavaskar has launched a scathing critique against overseas players who make themselves available for only a part of the Indian Premier League season. The batting great insists that such individuals, who do not commit to the full tournament, show a lack of respect for the IPL and should be excluded from the auction process altogether.
Gavaskar's Firm Stance on Full Commitment
In a strongly-worded column for Mid-Day, Gavaskar left no room for ambiguity. He stated that if a player's priorities lie elsewhere, apart from national duty, they do not deserve a moment's consideration during the high-profile auction. "Frankly, if a player doesn't show respect to the IPL and make himself available for the full tournament, he shouldn't even be in the auction," Gavaskar wrote. He emphasized the IPL's status as the premier T20 league globally and warned against taking it lightly.
The comments appear to be a direct reaction to recent reports about Australian wicketkeeper-batter Josh Inglis. Inglis, who was part of Punjab Kings in IPL 2025, has reportedly confirmed that his availability for the upcoming season will be limited due to his wedding plans. This very reason was cited by Punjab Kings head coach Ricky Ponting for the player's release ahead of the auction. Despite this, Inglis has now put his name in the hat for the IPL 2026 auction, listing himself in the ₹2 crore price bracket.
Broader Concerns Over Auction Trends and Young Talent
Gavaskar also used his platform to comment on what he perceives as concerning trends in the IPL auction, particularly regarding the valuation of uncapped Indian players. He drew a contrast between the humble beginnings of now-great Indian stars, who were bought at their base prices, and the current scenario where untested youngsters command massive sums.
"There is still no salary limit on an uncapped player, and so many young, fairly unknown players will be bought for sums, for playing just 16 days of cricket, that are multiple times higher than what a Ranji Trophy player earns while playing twice as many days, mostly in empty stadiums," Gavaskar noted. He expressed concern that this sudden wealth and lack of game time often leads to these talents fading away from the sport after a season or two, which he termed as the "sad part."
The Underlying Message for the IPL Ecosystem
Gavaskar's critique underscores a growing debate about player commitment and the financial ecosystem of the IPL. His words serve as a reminder to franchises to value full-season availability and to young players about the perils of early, disproportionate financial success without consistent performance. The incident involving Josh Inglis has now become the focal point for this larger discussion on professionalism and respect for the league's schedule.
As the IPL 2026 auction approaches, it remains to be seen if franchises will heed Gavaskar's advice and avoid bidding for players with known availability issues, or if the pursuit of short-term talent will continue to override concerns about partial participation.
