‘Indian Cricketers Are Not Sugarcane’: Sunil Gavaskar Urges BCCI and ICC to Rethink Packed Schedule
Legendary India batter Sunil Gavaskar has called for a serious rethink of cricket’s increasingly crowded international calendar, saying Indian cricketers should not be treated like machines that can be pushed endlessly.
With injuries continuing to affect several key players, Gavaskar believes the fixture list needs to be reworked from 2027 onwards. His comments came after a recent review meeting held by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), where India’s future tours following IPL 2027 were also discussed.
In his column for Sportstar, Gavaskar urged decision-makers at both the BCCI and the International Cricket Council (ICC) to create a more balanced calendar and give players enough time to recover.
“Indian cricketers are neither machines nor sugarcane to be endlessly squeezed for every drop of the juice,” Gavaskar wrote.
‘India’s bench strength cannot solve everything’
Gavaskar also questioned the growing narrative that India has enough depth to field three international teams simultaneously.
While India’s impressive bench strength is often highlighted, the former captain believes recent results show that the country still needs to focus on strengthening its primary team rather than simply increasing the number of international fixtures.
He wrote that claiming India can field three teams may sound impressive globally, but recent performances suggest that one Indian team is currently struggling to consistently win major silverware.
Domestic cricket needs more attention
For Gavaskar, the problem goes beyond the international calendar. He stressed that the success of the Indian national team ultimately depends on the strength of domestic cricket.
“The India cricket team is not Indian cricket. The India cricket team is the by-product of Indian cricket,” he wrote, arguing that a strong domestic system is essential for producing a consistently competitive national side.
He particularly highlighted the Ranji Trophy, saying the premier domestic first-class competition needs to regain its importance instead of being repeatedly shifted around to accommodate other tournaments.
‘The rhythm and momentum get destroyed’
Gavaskar pointed to the scheduling of the Ranji Trophy as an example of how domestic cricket can lose momentum.
Under the current structure, there can be a gap of more than a month between the Ranji Trophy league stage and the knockout rounds because of white-ball competitions. According to Gavaskar, such interruptions disrupt players’ rhythm and momentum.
He warned that prioritising international cricket at the expense of domestic competitions could ultimately prove counterproductive for Indian cricket.
BCCI reportedly looking at changes
Recent reports suggest that the BCCI is considering changes to India’s Future Tours Programme (FTP), with an operations team expected to attend a workshop in Dubai to discuss creating wider gaps between international matches.
The issue has become increasingly important as several Indian stars have dealt with injuries and workload concerns. Jasprit Bumrah and Hardik Pandya, among others, have missed significant stretches of international cricket in recent seasons.
Gavaskar’s message is clear: India’s cricket calendar needs balance. More matches may offer greater opportunities and commercial value, but ensuring players remain fit—and maintaining a strong domestic structure—will be crucial to the long-term health of Indian cricket.
News Source : Information for this article was gathered from a variety of reliable news outlets.
