Former India batter Hanuma Vihari has raised an uncomfortable question around player commitment and availability in Indian cricket, pointing out the gap between IPL participation and international duty. Speaking on the issue, Vihari named several senior and emerging players, including Hardik Pandya, Harshit Rana, Varun Chakravarthy, Nitish Kumar Reddy and Jasprit Bumrah, to highlight how often India lose players to injury or workload issues soon after the IPL.

Vihari said it was hard to understand why some cricketers stay available for the IPL but then break down when international fixtures begin. He also wondered whether the volume of cricket is becoming too much for the modern player, or whether the mindset around national duty has changed.

“Hardik Pandya, Jasprit Bumrah, Nitish Kumar Reddy and Varun Chakravarthy all played in the IPL before getting injured or becoming unavailable. When it comes to international cricket, why are they breaking down? Harshit Rana did not play the IPL but came back into international cricket and then was ruled out again. What exactly is the problem? Is it too much cricket? When we say there is too much cricket in the IPL, then why are players breaking down during international cricket?” Hanuma Vihari said.

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He further argued that India cannot afford frequent changes in the playing XI if they are serious about major ICC tournaments. Citing Shubman Gill’s recent observation that India may need 10 to 12 fully available players through a World Cup campaign, Vihari said continuity is essential if the team wants to build rhythm and settle combinations.

“Shubman Gill said after the last series that India would need to play around 10 or 12 matches in the World Cup. At that point, all the players need to be available. If players are unavailable after just two or three matches of a series, the team has to keep changing its combinations, and that becomes difficult. That is a fair point. But are the players motivated enough to play international cricket? Or are they taking it lightly because they believe that the IPL gives them money and fame?” he asked.

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Vihari, however, was careful to draw a line when it came to Jasprit Bumrah. He said the fast bowler should be treated differently because of his injury history, heavy workload and the fact that he contributes across all three formats.

“Bumrah is an exception because he is returning from injuries and needs workload management. He also plays all three formats,” he added.