Cricket legend Sunil Gavaskar has sounded a fresh alarm over the Indian Premier League 2026, calling on the BCCI to clamp down on issues that are “taking away from the sanctity” of the tournament. Writing in a column for The Times of India, Gavaskar slammed the lengthy and slow‑paced nature of matches, along with what he described as unnecessary on‑field activity and time‑wasting tactics, and argued that no similar entertainments or delays should be permitted in the future.
Gavaskar cited a recent IPL 2026 fixture that stretched close to four hours despite not needing a Super Over, and questioned why the league’s regulators allow matches to drift so far beyond their natural rhythm. He stressed that the sanctity of the game is being compromised when over‑rate penalties and soft warnings fail to prevent teams from milking the clock through over‑deliberate field‑changers, long TV‑time breaks, and repeated player‑field‑set‑up delays. Drawing on decades of observation, he urged the BCCI to become “crisper and tighter” in its enforcement, introducing stricter fines or other deterrents that actually change on‑ground behaviour.
The 73‑year‑old icon has been particularly vocal in IPO 2026 about player commitment and role‑fulfillment, previously asking the BCCI to introduce bans or sanctions for overseas stars who pull out at the last minute or sign as all‑rounders but refuse to bowl due to workload or board‑imposed restrictions. With the league repeatedly forced to reshuffle plans because of such withdrawals and role‑drift, Gavaskar wants the BCCI to step in proactively rather than reactively, so that franchises and fans alike are not left holding the short end of the deal after crores in investment and expectation.
