Gavaskar's Straightforward Advice to BCCI: No Room for Part-Time Players in the 'Star Culture'

Sunil Gavaskar recently expressed his concerns about the prevalence of a star culture within the Indian cricket team, following their disappointing 1-3 series defeat in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy against Australia. The Sydney Test saw Australia emerge victorious by six wickets, ultimately clinching the trophy after a decade. Gavaskar's criticism sheds light on the need for the team to focus on collective performance rather than individual stardom.

The five-match series against Australia left a lot to be desired when it came to Team India. No one except Jasprit Bumrah, put their hand up to take the team out of a tricky position. Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli also disappointed with the bat and questions are being asked regarding their position in the team.

Rohit Sharma stood down from the Sydney Test, and Bumrah led the side in his place. Despite scoring a century in Perth, Virat Kohli did not aggregate more than 200 runs against Australia in the 2024-25 series. Kohli was dismissed repeatedly while chasing wide deliveries.

Gavaskar feels the BCCI needs to stand up for its values and end the star culture. He also believes that players who fully prioritise Indian cricket should be given a longer rope.

“I think the next 8–10 days are crucial for Indian cricket to take a good, honest look at itself. Most importantly, the star culture has to end. Total commitment to Indian cricket is non-negotiable. Players must make themselves available every single time unless there’s a genuine medical emergency. If someone isn’t fully committed, they shouldn’t be considered for selection," said Gavaskar.

'Don't need players who are partly here and partly elsewhere'

Without mincing his words, Gavaskar said that the time has come to stop pampering players. He also asked the Indian cricket board to stop being "admirers" and look at the future of the sport in the country.

As a result of the series loss against Australia, India haven't qualified for the World Test Championship (WTC) final. This is the first time that India will not be playing inthe WTC final. The summit clash will be played between Australia and South Africa at the Lord's Cricket Ground from June 11-16.

"We don’t need players who are partly here and partly elsewhere. It’s time to stop pampering anyone. The recent results have been disappointing—we should have been in the World Test Championship final but didn’t make it,” said Gavaskar.

"The cricket board needs to stop acting like admirers and put their foot down. They must tell the players that Indian cricket comes first. It’s either a full commitment to Indian cricket or other priorities—you can’t have it both ways. If Indian cricket is your priority, only then should you be selected," he added.

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