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The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has decided to make changes to India’s Future Tours Programme (FTP). Now, former India captain Sunil Gavaskar has taken a swipe at the BCCI and the International Cricket Council (ICC) over the hectic schedule for the cricketers and also blamed domestic cricket, thus have been ignored.
With plenty of cricket being played in India, especially international and IPL, the cricketers barely get time; domestic cricket is being ignored because of the busy international schedule, which is hurting India’s talent development. There are fewer fans who go and watch domestic matches until there are big names playing. Former captains have lashed out, as he believes that Indian cricketers are not ‘sugarcane to be endlessly squeezed.’
Sunil Gavaskar slams BCCI and ICC for hectic international schedule for Indian players
While writing in his Sportstar column, Sunil Gavaskar mentioned the issue of player workload and hoped the ICC would consider the packed international schedule. He also stressed the point that the Men in Blue cricketers are treated like machines, as they should not be constantly pushed to their limits.
"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."
Sunil Gavaskar calls India's bench strength overrated
Sunil Gavaskar also took a swipe at BCCI and believes that India’s bench strength and pool of players are overrated, as recent results show that even the main team is struggling to win major tournaments and series.
"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."
The former India opener believes a gold in the forthcoming Asian Games 2026 would help the side to gain confidence, focusing on domestic cricket as he believes that it should be given importance and prioritised to produce world-class players for the future.
"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," Sunil Gavaskar added.
India's upcoming schedule
The Men in Blue will recently play Afghanistan, and next they will play in the Asian Games and simultaneously will host West Indies. After that, they will be travelling to New Zealand for a full tour with five T20Is, followed by five ODIs, and two Test matches.
In the meeting, the BCCI is also likely to raise the workload issue and the busy calendar at the ICC meeting later this month. The BCCI is also planning to host warm-up matches for the Men in Blue side to get a better feel and understanding of the conditions.
