Former India captain Kapil Dev has urged the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to take a firmer approach towards the participation of established players in domestic cricket. He believes India’s recent struggles against spin bowling are partly linked to the lack of regular multi-day cricket for the country’s leading batters.

India has endured home Test series whitewashes against New Zealand and South Africa in recent years, with their batters repeatedly struggling against quality spin. With a two-Test series against Sri Lanka approaching, concerns over how India will handle spin-friendly conditions have already emerged.

“Playing domestic cricket is very important. The reason why Indian teams struggle against spin is that the top players don’t play enough domestic cricket. That’s where the BCCI should put its foot down and make everyone play multi-day matches. The other aspect is that the younger generation will get to learn from the top players,” Kapil Dev said at the launch of Bengaluru Blasters ahead of the JITO Premier League.

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The 1983 World Cup-winning captain also pointed towards India’s demanding white-ball schedule as another factor behind their struggles against spin. According to Kapil Dev, the frequency of T20 and ODI cricket leaves players with less exposure to the technical demands of Test cricket.

“In recent times, India has not been the best against spin bowling. They play too many T20s and ODIs. Test matches are a different ball game. I hope they can put their heads together,” he added.

However, ensuring regular domestic appearances for senior players remains a difficult task. Head coach Gautam Gambhir and chief selector Ajit Agarkar have already backed the idea, with Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma featuring in one Ranji Trophy match each during the 2024-25 season. Yet, India’s congested international calendar makes consistent participation challenging, as the Ranji Trophy overlaps with bilateral series and home assignments.

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Kapil also highlighted the need for better management of fast bowlers’ workloads amid the expanding T20 calendar. He warned that excessive cricket could increase injury risks and urged the BCCI to monitor the workload of pacers carefully.

“One should know about one’s own body. There is too much T20 cricket happening, so you have to be careful about the toll it takes on the body,” Kapil Dev said, stressing the importance of balancing performance, fitness and long-term player health.