Sunil Gavaskar has urged the BCCI to take a stricter stance against overseas players who leave the Indian Premier League midway through a season, especially when injuries are cited but the same cricketers later turn up in other competitions. The former India captain believes IPL franchises are often left exposed by such exits and deserve stronger protection.

The issue has gained fresh attention after IPL 2026, when player availability became a major talking point across the tournament. In his Sportstar column, Gavaskar said the board’s existing two-year ban on players who withdraw after being picked at auction is a positive step, but he feels the rules must go further to cover those who leave the league without a genuine medical reason.

“The BCCI’s ban for two years on those who enter the auction and, after being picked, then withdraw at the last moment, not for injury but brownie points with their local media, is another good move,” Sunil Gavaskar wrote.

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He added that the same rule should apply to players who join the IPL, fail to hold down a regular spot and then claim injury before returning home, only to resume playing domestic cricket while the IPL is still underway.

“They should also ban those who come to the IPL and, when they find they aren’t being picked regularly, feign an injury and return home and then play in their domestic cricket even while the IPL is still going on,” he wrote.

Gavaskar also pointed out that such decisions leave franchises scrambling for replacements at the last minute, which is both disruptive and unfair. In many cases, teams have little choice but to wait for boards to release the players, even when the timing leaves them at a serious disadvantage.

“Plenty of overseas players take the IPL for granted and sometimes, in connivance with their boards, make some excuse and not play in the full tournament as they agreed before they entered the auction,” he wrote. “The franchise cannot go running around for a replacement at this late hour, and so has no option but to wait for the Board to release the player.”

The Indian legend also highlighted the financial aspect of the issue, noting that overseas boards receive a share of the player fee, while the franchise absorbs the additional cost. He argued that if a player misses matches, the payment structure for both the individual and the board should be adjusted accordingly.

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Gavaskar ended with a blunt reminder that the IPL should not be treated casually by overseas cricketers or their boards. According to him, franchises should not be forced to suffer because of late withdrawals, and contracts must be enforced more firmly if the league wants to protect its integrity.