Former India captain Sunil Gavaskar has revealed an interesting behind-the-scenes story from the early years of the Indian Premier League, recalling how he was once “pulled up” by a fellow IPL Governing Council member for reaching out directly to franchise captains with ideas to improve the tournament.

Gavaskar, who served on the IPL Governing Council during the league’s first three seasons, said he had written letters in his personal capacity to all eight captains at the time, asking for suggestions on how the tournament could become even better. While several responses offered minor recommendations, one proposal from former Australian wicketkeeper-batter Adam Gilchrist eventually changed the IPL forever.

Writing in his Mid-Day column, Sunil Gavaskar explained that Gilchrist suggested introducing a system in which the top two teams on the points table would receive an additional opportunity to qualify for the final. That idea later became the popular Qualifier and Eliminator playoff format currently used in the IPL.

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“Many years ago when I was in the IPL Governing Council, I had in my personal capacity written to the captains of the eight franchises asking them how the IPL could be made even better than it was,” Sunil Gavaskar wrote. “Most replied and while there was no major suggestion, the one from Adam Gilchrist recommending rewarding the teams finishing one and two another crack at the title with the Qualifier and Eliminator was a unique one,” he added.

However, Gavaskar admitted that not everyone within the Governing Council appreciated his initiative. The legendary opener revealed that one council member questioned his authority to contact franchise captains directly.

“I was pulled up by a member of the Governing Council, who asked with whose authority I had written to the franchise skippers for their suggestions,” Sunil Gavaskar recalled.

The former India captain said he firmly defended his actions, explaining that he did not require anyone’s permission to seek ideas that could strengthen the IPL. “I told him that I had written in my personal capacity as a former captain and player with the sole intention of seeing how we could make the IPL even better,” Sunil Gavaskar said.

Today, the Qualifier and Eliminator system remains one of the most important features of the IPL playoffs, rewarding consistency during the league stage and increasing the stakes around finishing in the top two.

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Gavaskar concluded by saying the early Governing Council members treated the IPL like their “baby” and now take pride in watching the tournament grow into one of the world’s biggest sporting leagues.