Photo Credit: Instagram Photo of @gavaskarsunilofficial
Former Indian batting legend Sunil Gavaskar has raised serious concerns following the conclusion of Major League Cricket 2024 (MLC 2024). The Washington Freedom won the tournament, defeating the San Francisco Unicorns in the final at Grand Prairie Stadium in Dallas.
Gavaskar, who was in the US as part of the broadcast team, witnessed drastic changes in MLC 2024. Despite featuring several international stars, he expressed disappointment over the league’s overall quality.
The former Indian captain noted a significant decline in MLC’s standards compared to its inaugural season and pointed out the poor crowd turnout for MLC 2024, which contrasted sharply with the enthusiastic attendance in the first edition.
Gavaskar has suggested a major overhaul to restore the tournament’s prestige, including imposing restrictions on players’ participation in other franchise T20 leagues to ensure higher competitive cricket and deliver world-class entertainment to fans.
Sunil Gavaskar wrote in his column for The Sportstar: “For some reason, the crowds were not quite there this time around. Maybe it was viewer fatigue because of the ICC T20 World Cup preceding the tournament. The cricket was also not of the same high quality as last year. Maybe because there were too many ordinary players there. The international stars who play in various T20 leagues around the world also seemed a little casual.”
Gavaskar suggested limiting players to three T20 leagues worldwide to maintain high standards and competitiveness. He emphasized the IPL as the top league and recommended players choose two other leagues to participate in.
He added, “While nobody wants the players’ source of income to be curbed, I feel it is worth considering if players should be restricted to playing in three leagues of their choice. The IPL is the best and most competitive tournament because of the talent pool it attracts from all over the world. So, the player should be restricted to the IPL and two other leagues of his choice.”
Gavaskar explained that players often compete for one IPL team while representing rival IPL teams in other T20 leagues. This is understandable if their IPL team isn’t in those leagues, but it’s odd to see players in rival IPL jerseys elsewhere.
Gavaskar concluded by saying, “Players are playing for one franchise in the IPL and turning up for the rival IPL franchise in the other leagues. It is understandable if the franchise they compete for in the IPL doesn’t have a team in the other T20 leagues, but it is odd to see them wearing a jersey of a rival IPL franchise in other leagues.”
