Sunil Gavaskar Passes Stern Warning To BCCI, ICC Over Packed Cricket Calendar, Reveals What Could Hurt India’s Future

Cricketing legend Sunil Gavaskar urged the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and the International Cricket Council (ICC) to take a serious look at the packed cricket calendar. He believes Indian cricketers cannot be expected to keep playing without enough rest.

Gavaskar also believes that the busy international schedule is affecting domestic cricket, which could eventually hurt India’s supply of quality players. The former India captain compared cricketers to sugarcane and said they cannot be endlessly squeezed for every last drop.

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“The recent meeting to take stock of Indian cricket did try to come to grips with the issue,” Gavaskar wrote for Sportstar. “Hopefully, when the ICC meeting to discuss the international cricket calendar over the next cycle of four years from 2027 takes place, the decision-makers will realise that Indian cricketers are neither machines nor sugarcane to be endlessly squeezed for every drop of the juice.”

BCCI Plans Changes To Prepare Players For Overseas Tours

The BCCI recently held a meeting to review Indian cricket and decided to make changes to the Future Tours Programme (FTP).

The board wants to give players better preparation ahead of major overseas assignments in South Africa, England, New Zealand and Australia. BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia said the focus will be on providing players with enough rest, time to adjust to conditions and practice matches before important series.

The decision comes at a time when player workload and injuries have become major concerns. The BCCI is also expected to raise the issue during the upcoming ICC meeting later this month.

Gavaskar Questions India’s Bench Strength

India’s strong bench strength has often been discussed, with claims that the country can field multiple teams at the same time.

However, Gavaskar believes the recent results show that the situation is not as simple as it sounds. He feels India still needs to strengthen its main team and cannot afford to ignore domestic cricket.

“The argument that India’s bench strength is such that it can field three teams is good to make claims for the world, but the reality, as recent results have shown, is that one India team is at the moment not good enough to win much silverware. Yes, a gold in the Asian Games will once again rejuvenate the team and give it the confidence for oncoming battles, but unless domestic cricket is prioritised, the pipeline will not produce world beaters,” he added.

Domestic Cricket Remains A Major Concern

Gavaskar believes domestic cricket needs greater importance as India looks to build its next generation of players.

With the international calendar becoming increasingly crowded, young players need enough opportunities to develop through domestic cricket. According to Gavaskar, neglecting that system could eventually affect India’s ability to produce players capable of performing at the highest level.

For him, managing the workload of current players and protecting the domestic cricket structure are both important if India wants to remain competitive in the years ahead.