Indian Premier League founder Lalit Modi has blasted the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) for overworking the players with “outrageous scheduling”.
He took to X and commented in response to a news channel’s report which said that India’s head coach Gautam Gambhir was unhappy with the team’s packed schedule ahead of the one-off Test against Afghanistan.
The report said that Gambhir was concerned with several players joining the squad after the IPL 2026 final on May 31, almost immediately for the Test match against Afghanistan, which begins June 6. In such a scenario, selectors would be forced to pick reserve Test players for the match.
“The BCCI is killing its players with the hectic scheduling. Guys, stop this outrageous scheduling you are putting the boys through. They need time with their families and just some time off. You do not need the money,” Lalit Modi said.
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He also said the board should care more about players’ well-being instead of worrying about money, adding that the IPL has already given Indian cricket enough financial stability for the long run.
“I created annuity revenue that the world envies. You will never have to worry about that while sitting in those chairs. Do something good with your decisions, for heaven’s sake. The welfare of the players is paramount. Do not overwork them,” he said.
Earlier, Shubman Gill had also raised concerns about not getting enough time to prepare for Test matches, saying the team should have at least two weeks of camp before starting a series.
After their recent Test series defeats at home against New Zealand and South Africa. Can India afford to field a second-string team against Afghanistan? On many occasions in the past, India’s B-team have travelled to associate nations for T20I series, to manage the workload of senior players.
