Batting legend Sunil Gavaskar has strongly criticised foreign players who make themselves available for only part of the Indian Premier League (IPL) season. He said that if a player cannot commit to the full tournament, he should not even be allowed in the auction.

In his column for Mid-Day, Gavaskar wrote: “If something other than a national commitment is more important to him, then not one second of the auction should be wasted on him. The IPL is the best T20 league in the world, and anybody taking it lightly should not be considered at all.”

Recently, Australian wicketkeeper-batter Josh Inglis confirmed that he would be available for only part of the IPL due to his wedding. Inglis, who played for Punjab Kings in IPL 2025, was released ahead of the auction. Coach Ricky Ponting said his limited availability was the main reason. Inglis has now registered for the IPL 2026 auction with a base price of ₹2 crore.

Gavaskar also spoke about how auction dynamics have changed. He pointed out that many Indian stars were initially bought at base prices and worked hard to prove themselves. In contrast, several uncapped players today are bought for huge sums but fail to make an impact.

He added that uncapped players can still be bought for very high salaries, often earning far more than Ranji Trophy players who play longer seasons in front of empty stands. Gavaskar warned that many of these youngsters, despite being paid big money, hardly get game time and fade away after a season or two.