As the IPL enters its second week, last year’s finalists, Royal Challengers Bangalore and Punjab Kings, have made a definite statement that this year too, they will be tough to stop. The defending champions Bengaluru started with a bang, making easy meat of Sunrisers Hyderabad, and the Punjab boys have played as if they were never away. Rajasthan Royals too seem to have found new wings under young Riyan Parag. Delhi Capitals, as always, will be in the mix. So too Mumbai Indians, who, as usual, will stumble at the start and then come back strong in the second half of the season.

The teams that have lost both their games so far are the former champions Chennai Super Kings, Gujarat Titans and Kolkata Knight Riders. The teams will have to get their attack right, as early-season pitches are usually good for batting, with the ball coming on nicely. So, while the batters are making merry, it’s also been seen that when there’s a bit of spice in the pitch, like in Guwahati, the batters are all at sea. They are so used to getting on the front foot even before the ball is bowled that, when it rises at them, they struggle to make contact. The spinners haven’t found much joy yet and may have to wait until next month, when the pitches lose their freshness and, with increasing heat, become drier, helping the ball grip and turn.

The Kolkata and Hyderabad teams have struggled a bit with their bowling, and there’s been understandable criticism of their star players not being available to bowl. It’s been a long season for most countries, and the bowlers have borne the load, carrying injuries of some kind. That’s part of sport. However, knowing when the IPL starts and the recovery time needed, it is only fair that a player not fit from day one should withdraw and give the franchise the chance to pick someone else who will be available from the first match itself.

To suggest that the franchise was ‘informed before’ is not a great excuse. And ‘informed before’ is how much before the opening day of the tournament? Playing for the country is paramount and comes before franchise cricket, but don’t the franchises, who open not just their wallets but also their hearts to players and often their families, deserve full commitment? It is also worth remembering that a bowler can bowl only four overs in a match, and if they have bowled a similar number of deliveries in practice without issue, what is stopping them from doing so in the game? As a bowler, you are expected to bowl 56 overs across 14 league games over two months, and, if your team reaches the final, perhaps another two or three games and 12 more overs. C’mon, for a generation that keeps talking about how fit they are, that’s no load at all. Four overs in a match, that too not in one stretch, and that is too much for the body? Man, if the body is that fragile, then best to give it two more months’ rest, isn’t it?

The IPL has been a cash cow not just for the overseas players but for their Boards too. Does the average Indian fan know that Cricket Boards get 10% of the fee a player from their country is bought for? It is not clear whether the BCCI or the franchise pays this commission for issuing the No Objection Certificate.

So, to put this in perspective, over the last couple of seasons, there have been 16 players from Australia bought by the different franchises for a total of Rs. 121.65 crore. There are 12 England players bought at Rs. 68 crore, and from New Zealand, another 12 players for over Rs. 33 crore; from South Africa, 17 players taking home around Rs. 71 crore. There are eight players from West Indies taking around Rs. 59 crore. Do the calculations, and each cricket Board is making a tidy sum just to issue an email saying they have no objection to their player playing in the IPL.

No other T20 league in the world, which has overseas players, pays a single dime to the Boards of the overseas players in their leagues. Not even the Hundred, which had an auction for the first time, since four out of the six teams had Indian owners, so why not milk the cash cow?

We in India love cricket and love the cricketers even more. And yes, there will be insurance for the players, so perhaps the franchise won’t go out of pocket if a player does not play all the games. But surely the time has come for the franchises to get tough and demand some bang for the buck they are giving the player.

Maybe the BCCI needs to step in and, as they have done by banning overseas players for two years for pulling out after being bought at the auction, introduce something similar for players who are not available from the first game of the tournament unless they are on national duty. This will send a strong message to those who think they can take Indian cricket for granted.

Published on Apr 07, 2026