Legendary batsman Sunil Gabascal criticized the IPL franchise for supporting unproven younger players over consistent domestic cricket performers. Gavaskar said the IPL franchise places importance on the Syed Mushtaq T20 Trophy and calls it a much more competitive and reliable benchmark.
In recent years, multiple state-level franchise leagues have emerged, with some players gaining spots on IPL teams. The 2025 season was notable for the rise of some talentless talent. The Punjab Kings (PBK) who finished as runner-ups, regularly dispatched six to seven players to play XI.
It’s much better to go through Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy – Sunil Gavaskar
Sunil Gavaskar urged IPL teams to rethink their talented scouting approach. The former Indian captain said the Syed Mushtaq Ali trophy is more competitive. He added that performance in high standard domestic competitions should be considered during auctions.
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“This year’s IPL has once again proven that relying on state T20 league performance is not a way to enter auction,” the 75-year-old wrote in a column during the day.
“These games are much more competitive than the state T20 league games, so it’s much better to do the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy act. Also, don’t go overboard to what you saw in tournaments under 19,” he added.
Many young people who are not so used to money – Sunil Gabascar
Sunil Gavaskar raised concerns that the young cricketer lost motivation after winning a lucrative IPL contract early in his career. He pointed out that some domestic leagues have done little to prepare for the IPL competitive demand.
“The level of competition there is below that of the IPL, and many young people who are not used to so much money have lost their motivation and are very pleased to be around rather than perform,” Gavaskar said.
“What you need to do is see when the batting and bowling performances come. The batter scores, the bowler takes the wicket at the end of the day, and that’s totally different in the IPL. That’s where the temperament arises.
Some justify getting 15 points on five deliveries – SunilGavaskar
Sunil Gavaskar also criticized the way younger players think that they prioritize a higher strike rate than impactful contributions. Gavaskar emphasized that many offensive batters in the State T20 league struggled in the IPL and were unable to provide a winning performance in the match.
“With a 300 strike rate, some people justify getting 15 points on five deliveries, but it could have been important to hit 15 deliveries and earning 40 people and winning the team.”
“If you hit a six from the first ball and then you put out the next ball, you get a 300 strike rate, but how does that help the sides? Many of the so-called six batters became croppers in the IPL and couldn’t win the team,” Gavaskar added.
Several young players, including Priyansh Arya, Vaibhav Suryavanshi, Digvesh Rathi, Vipraj Nigam and Ashwani Kumar, made a strong impression during the season. These emerging talents were consistently included in teams playing XI on teams and took advantage of the opportunities they were given.
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