Former India captain and popular commentator Sunil Gavaskar has made a sensational claim that the players involved in IPL might not try as hard in international cricket which might rule them out from the cash riched league.
Notable that IPL mega auction was held on February 12 and 13 in Bengaluru and this time there were 10 teams involved in the event so the money involved has been bigger than ever.
“The auction is a life-changing one for all the players”- Sunil Gavaskar
Gavaskar said that it’s a life-changing event for the players as it gives them financial security that players from the past didn’t have in the past but he speculated that this might also stop them to push hard for their country in
“The auction is a life-changing one for all the players as it opens doors to a secure future for them and their families. That can also lead to some to not try as hard when playing for their country, especially when the IPL is round the corner, so to speak,” Sunil Gavaskar wrote in his column for the Times of India.
“This is to ensure that there is no injury that will prevent them from being fit for the IPL and missing out on the security that an IPL contract guarantees. So the diving and sliding, or the hard throws from the deep, are not attempted for fear of doing some damage that will mean withdrawal from the IPL,” he further added.
In the mega auction, there was a total of 204 players sold in the two-day event, and 550 crores Rs. have been spent on them. Ishan Kishan was the most expensive player in the auction as his former franchise Mumbai Indians got him for 15.25 Crores.
“For those who were unlucky, it’s an opportunity to prove that it was a mistake not to pick them and with more matches and teams in the IPL, there is always an opportunity to be a replacement player,” said Gavaskar.
However, Gavaskar further added that the huge money would put pressure on players and it’s not easy to live up to the expectations of the franchises.
“The followers of each franchise will be looking for early signs of whether the money that they forked out is going to be worth it. That in itself will create pressure of expectations from the players and that could be a telling factor in these matches,” Gavaskar concluded.