Former Indian captain Sunil Gavaskar said that the cricket circuit was too active and has asked the ballhawk to reconsider the pressure Indian players are under and make sure they don’t end up being pushed to one tournament or a series after another without getting proper rest.
Sunil Gavaskar’s remarks come just ahead of BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia attributing the recent series of injuries to Indian cricketers to the extreme load they are having on their backs. As the demand for player schedules is growing in intensity, across formats and in competitions, the board has been seeking to do something about it.
Gavaskar said the physical demands on players need to be considered by decision makers when the International Calendar is discussed by the International Cricket Council (ICC) for the next four-year cycle going up from 2027.
In his column the former batter argued that players shouldn’t be regarded as “machines” and that cricket should be handled with greater care in terms of its volume.
Gavaskar also pointed to something he thinks is a bigger problem plaguing Indian cricket. He added that a lot of focus is currently on the Indian national team, while it is just a part of the bigger environment.
He said the touted bench strength of the Indian side must not be confused as a steady flow of talent for India. India can field several teams but Gavaskar noted that in recent years, even their main national team has not been able to be consistent in winning big silverware medals.
The former skipper stressed on the need to focus more on domestic cricket to have a continuous flow of world-class cricketers. A solid foundation at home is crucial for a national team to maintain, he believes.
Gavaskar also wished everyone good luck to the Indian men and women teams at the Asian Games saying a gold is likely to give him a lot of confidence going forward.