Sunil Gavaskar has doubled down on his controversial stand against Indian franchises paying Pakistani players. The former India captain urged them to stop, while defending himself against a fresh wave of criticism that followed his initial comments on the matter.
The controversy began after Sunrisers franchise Leeds acquired Pakistan spinner Abrar Ahmed in The Hundred auction for Rs 2.34 crore. The Sunrisers Group, which owns the IPL side Sunrisers Hyderabad, is owned by the Sun Group. The signing drew sharp reactions across cricketing circles, with Gavaskar among the most vocal.
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Gavaskar made his position clear in his Polednice column. He argued that the fees paid to the Pakistani player indirectly fund the Pakistani government, which then uses the tax revenue to buy weapons and arms, leading to death of Indian soldiers. He went further to suggest that this line of thinking had already influenced how Indian entities approached Pakistani artists and sportspersons. He asked a pointed question that sparked a wide debate: “Is winning a tournament in a format that no other country plays more important than Indian lives?”
GAVASKAR BACK CLAIMS OF HYPOCRISY
The comments sparked a backlash, with critics pointing to Gavaskar’s own association with Pakistan cricket as evidence of a double standard. He was part of the ICC and ACC commentary panels and appeared as a guest on Pakistan’s cricket show The Dressing Room during the Champions Trophy 2025 in Dubai, sharing the stage with former Pakistan captains Wasim Akram and Waqar Younis.
In an interview with Mumbai Mirror, Gavaskar addressed both the accused directly. In his commentary work, he stated that revenue from ICC and ACC events was distributed to all participating countries and did not originate from an Indian entity. “I don’t see how you can say I’m a contributor because I don’t pay any commentator, Indian or any other nationality,” he said. He was equally forthright in the Dubai show. “I didn’t ask and I didn’t get paid for the show I did in Dubai,” he said.
He was equally unequivocal in Indian franchises in overseas leagues. Although he admitted to not following CPL, ILT20 or SA20 in detail, his position was clear. “If there are Indian owners and they are paying Pakistani players, hopefully they will stop,” he said.
Gavaskar also had a wider message for Indian subjects across sports. He noted that while he was unsure about other sports, he had one simple prayer: that the Indians would stop paying the Pakistanis altogether. He pointed out that, in his view, the opposite has never happened in decades, if at all.
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Issued by:
Amar Panicker
Published on:
March 22, 2026 12:35 PM IST
