former india captain Sunil Gavaskar The Board of Control for Cricket in India (Board of Control for Cricket in India) is urged toBCCI) Prioritize player welfare and ensure that centrally contracted cricketers have at least one month of uninterrupted rest every year.His remarks came shortly after India swept the ODI series against Afghanistan 3-0 shortly after the conclusion of the Indian Premier League (intense pulsed light) 2026 season.Gavaskar acknowledged the role played by BCCI in supporting developing cricketing countries such as Afghanistan, Zimbabwe and Sri Lanka through bilateral series. However, he said that despite the busy cricket schedule, the health and fitness of Indian players should remain a priority.Gavaskar wrote in his column in Mid Day: “Yes, BCCI is like an older brother to countries like Afghanistan, Zimbabwe and Sri Lanka and has been trying to help them grow on the field and also increase their financial standing by visiting these countries.The former opener also questioned the practice of rotating senior players out of workload management. Gavaskar said India should field the strongest possible lineup.He pointed to India’s recent tests in Afghanistan Shubman Gill KL Rahul, on the other hand, scored hundreds.“In the Test against Afghanistan, they have been honest trypers but nothing more, with centuries from Shubman Gill and KL Rahul and an impressive debut from Manav Souttar. Jasprit Bumrah Rested, but wouldn’t he want to add another one or ten to his career record against this team? When India plays, the best team has to play, barring injuries of course. But such breaks due to workload must be avoided as much as possible. Take a look at the calendar and you will see that India is hosting a match somewhere every month. “Gavaskar clarified that he supports giving more opportunities to young players through India A and Under-19 cricket, but feels that older players should get proper rest during the game.“Yes, by all means have ‘A’ team and U-19 games so that young players can get opportunities and experience, but please give our elite players a break and make sure they as a team, not just individuals, have at least a month off during the year.”He added that the current schedule cannot be changed, but suggested that future plans should include mandatory breaks for players and even fans.“The schedule for this year has been finalized and nothing can be changed, but since the idea is to have the IPL start and end early next year, please add a month’s rest not only for the players but also for the Indian cricket fans.”India’s next assignment is a two-match T20I series against Ireland in Belfast before the team travels to England for five T20Is and three ODIs starting from July 1.
