Cricket legend Sunil Gavaskar has launched a pointed critique of the Indian Premier League’s growing imbalance in player remuneration, arguing that uncapped players are reaping outsized financial rewards without delivering on the national stage—while seasoned domestic stalwarts remain unrewarded.
Gavaskar blasts uncapped IPL millionaires
Gavaskar didn’t hold back in his assessment of young, uncapped IPL players receiving massive paydays despite lacking significant cricketing achievements.
“The argument that it is market forces is not really valid, for more often than not, it is sheer good fortune as some franchises want to take a punt with young talent. Have a look at the uncapped crorepatis throughout the IPL, and you will find that very few have gone on to do big things for India. It’s their good luck that has made them the crores that they actually don’t deserve,” Gavaskar wrote in his Sportstar column.
In the 2025 IPL, several such players—including Rasikh Dar (RCB), Naman Dhir (MI), Nehal Wadhera (PBKS), Abdul Samad (LSG), Priyansh Arya (PBKS), Ashutosh Sharma (DC), Anshul Kamboj (CSK), and Abhinav Manohar (SRH)—earned hefty contracts despite limited or no contributions to India’s senior men’s team.
Ranji Trophy players losing out in the IPL era
In contrast, Gavaskar highlighted the plight of domestic cricket mainstays who put in years of service without similar rewards or recognition. Citing the recent retirement of Gujarat’s Priyank Panchal, Gavaskar pointed to how even high-performing players can be left unrewarded and unrecognized.
“Priyank Panchal, the former Gujarat captain, made the tough call to quit Ranji Trophy cricket after serving his State for almost two decades. He was part of the Ranji Trophy-winning Gujarat team, but if there’s one regret he has, it would be that he didn’t get the India cap,” Gavaskar wrote.
Despite being a prolific run-scorer with 8,856 First-Class runs, Panchal never earned a senior India call-up.
“He came close to it on a couple of occasions but didn’t have the good fortune to get it. That doesn’t make his contribution to Indian cricket any less than those who have played for India. Sometimes it’s just the misfortune of having been born at the same time as some others who were selected ahead of him and did well enough never to allow him to replace them.”
More strikingly, Gavaskar questioned whether Panchal, having missed out on the IPL, earned enough financially from his nearly two-decade-long career.
“Apart from not getting the India cap, he also wouldn’t have much to show in his bank balance, despite spending the better part of his youth trying to make a career and a living out of the game,” he added.
“It is here that the lopsided nature of remuneration for other domestic tournaments and that of the IPL, another domestic tournament, stands out.”
Gavaskar urges BCCI to fix the domestic pay structure
In light of these issues, Gavaskar called on the BCCI to implement systemic reforms to protect and incentivize India’s domestic cricket backbone.
“The BCCI has increased the match fees in recent times, and that’s very good, but if they add the slab system of fees whereby those who play more matches get more, then that would make more players turn up for the Ranji Trophy instead of feigning injury just a month or so before the IPL starts so that they don’t get injured and miss out on the IPL.”
He also suggested additional rewards for performance in the domestic circuit’s high-stakes stages.
“If the BCCI can also increase the match fees for the teams that reach the knockouts, then that also would be a great incentive for the players to keep playing further, instead of withdrawing in fear of injury before the IPL. Money is not the issue for the BCCI and its affiliated units, so hopefully, these suggestions will be considered before the new domestic season starts.”
A call for balance in Indian cricket’s financial ecosystem
Gavaskar’s critique shines a light on the growing disparity in Indian cricket’s financial structure—where a few untested names can walk into wealth through the IPL, while long-serving domestic cricketers are left navigating a precarious future.
As India continues to leverage the IPL’s commercial success, Gavaskar’s words offer a stark reminder that the heart of Indian cricket still beats in its domestic grounds—and that system deserves better support, both in opportunity and in financial security.
