Former India captain Sunil Gavaskar has raised concerns over the increasing workload on Indian cricketers, urging the BCCI and other decision-makers to rethink the international cricket calendar. The batting great believes players need adequate recovery time instead of being pushed from one tournament or series to another with little respite. Gavaskar’s comments come amid growing concerns over injuries in Indian cricket.

BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia had previously pointed to the demanding schedule as one of the factors contributing to the increasing injury concerns among players. The former India captain wants the issue to receive greater attention when the International Cricket Council (ICC) discusses the next four-year international calendar, beginning in 2027.

“The recent meeting to take stock of Indian cricket did try to come to grips with the issue. Hopefully, when the ICC meeting to discuss the international cricket calendar over the next cycle of four years from 2027 takes place, the decision-makers will realise that Indian cricketers are neither machines nor sugarcane to be endlessly squeezed for every drop of the juice,” Sunil Gavaskar wrote in his column for Sportstar.

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Gavaskar also questioned the widespread belief that India possesses enough depth to field three equally competitive international teams. While the country has a large pool of talented players, he believes recent results indicate that India still needs to strengthen its domestic cricket structure.

According to Sunil Gavaskar, relying solely on the so-called bench strength could prove risky if the domestic system does not consistently produce players capable of competing at the highest level. “The argument that India’s bench strength is such that it can field three teams is good to make claims for the world, but the reality, as recent results have shown, is that one India team is at the moment not good enough to win much silverware.”

He added that success at the Asian Games could provide a confidence boost but insisted that domestic cricket must remain a priority for long-term development.

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Sunil Gavaskar also called for the return of the BCCI’s Technical and Fixtures Committees. He believes experienced former cricketers, umpires and administrators should have a greater role in important decisions. According to the veteran, bringing back these committees could improve scheduling and other aspects of Indian cricket by ensuring that decisions benefit from the practical experience of people who understand the game at different levels.