Jealous people who don’t benefit from Indian Premier League criticise it: Sunil Gavaskar

Criticism for the Indian Premier League is not anything new. It has been there ever since the T20 format became popular after the very first season of the league in 2008. But over time, many have dismissed the tournament for deviating from the soul of the game, and for its forays into the world of glitz and glamour.

Speaking on the issue exclusively to India Today’s Boria Majumdar on the latest episode of Inspiration, former India skipper and a legend of the game, Sunil Gavaskar, hit out at those criticising the IPL.

“They [the critics] only see the money aspect that is there in the IPL. They don’t look at what the IPL does. I think it all boils down to jealousy. Only those who do not benefit from it, do not get anything from the IPL criticise it,” Sunil Gavaskar argued.

Gavaskar calls IPL a ‘cottage industry’

He lauded the IPL for creating a cottage industry that is now built around the tournament.

“There are so many people whose livelihoods are there because of the IPL. It can be the guys who are at the grounds who paint people’s faces, people who are making those shirts that are sold outside the stadiums just before a match, or the vendors who have food stalls at the stadium. There is an entire cottage industry around the IPL,” he said.

The former India skipper also said that IPL is often targeted only because it is a ‘soft target’. He dismissed those hitting out at the game on social media saying, “Somebody wants to be a little famous on the Internet, then you target the IPL. The IPL is a soft target.”

Sunil Gavaskar also slammed those who claim to speak for the ‘interest of the game’, asking who are they to be sitting in judgement.

“An argument people opposed to the IPL give is, we know Indian cricket and we are thinking of the good of Indian cricket. Oh, I see, so you are the only ones who are going to be sitting in judgement and telling us what is good for Indian cricket. Of course, not,” Gavaskar said.