news-engine

Sunil Gavaskar urges BCCI to ensure ‘full transparency’ during high-profile IPL transfers: ‘No finger pointing’ Sunil Gavaskar feels that the need of the hour is full transparency regarding IPL transfers. Gone are the days when the Indian Premier League (IPL) had no high-profile transfers. The ten franchises no longer just depend on the auction, and planning to bolster their squads is done throughout the year. Ahead of the 2026 season, Sanju Samson made his way to the Chennai Super Kings (CSK), and just after the conclusion of the edition, the Delhi Capitals and Lucknow Super Giants wasted no time in swapping players (Kuldeep Yadav and Rishabh Pant). However, the biggest trade in the competition's history so far is Hardik Pandya joining the Mumbai Indians from the Gujarat Titans before the 2024 season. And the same Hardik is once again in the conversation as the rumour mill has it that the all-rounder might be on his way out of the five-time champions' squad. However, nothing concrete has been put in the public domain yet. And this is where Sunil Gavaskar wants some transparency. Gavaskar argued that when a trade happens in the IPL, the exact numbers are known only to the BCCI, the concerned franchise, and the player, while the remaining teams are kept in the dark, which can raise questions about whether the rules were followed. The former India captain stated that all financial details after the trade should be put in the public domain so that every stakeholder stays in the loop, saying it is not about two parties alone. “There’s some speculation in the media about the possible switching of players from one franchise to another. There’s, of course, still some time for that window to be closed. However, while transfer of a player from one franchise to another is in the public domain, when a trade takes place, then the numbers are known only to the two franchises, the player and BCCI,” Gavaskar wrote in his column for Mid-Day. “In such a situation, the other franchises don’t know if the salary cap that every franchise has for its squad was maintained or breached. That’s why it’s important for full transparency that the numbers are also out in the public domain,” he added. ‘No finger pointing’ The 1983 World Cup further urged the BCCI to ensure full transparency to prevent finger-pointing from a section jealous of the IPL and its growth. “The IPL is the greatest T20 league in the world, and it’s therefore crucial that full transparency is maintained so that there’s no finger-pointing at it from those jealous of it,” wrote Gavaskar. Recently, Rishabh Pant left LSG after stepping down as the captain and joined the Delhi Capitals. On the other hand, LSG acquired Kuldeep Yadav from the Lucknow franchise. - ABOUT THE AUTHORVishesh RoyVishesh Roy is a sports journalist with a strong focus on cricket. He began his career at Asian News International (ANI), where he covered a range of high-profile events, including the India Open, Legends Cricket League, the England–India Test series in Ahmedabad in 2021, and the inauguration of the Narendra Modi Stadium. During his tenure at ANI, he also reported extensively on domestic cricket, covering several Ranji Trophy and Vijay Hazare Trophy matches across the country. While cricket remains his primary beat, Vishesh has also reported on tennis, football and WWE. After a stint of over three years at ANI, Vishesh moved to NDTV, where he gained hands-on experience in digital-first journalism, with a particular emphasis on live blogs and real-time news reporting. He joined Hindustan Times in October 2024 and quickly established himself with a series of exclusive interviews and source-driven stories. Ahead of the IPL 2025 auction, Hindustan Times was the first to report that the two-day event would be held in Saudi Arabia. In the early months of his tenure, Vishesh secured interviews with leading cricketers, including Pat Cummins, Shreyas Iyer, Nitish Kumar Reddy and Rashid Latif. He has also closely tracked the rise of emerging talents such as Vaibhav Suryavanshi and Priyansh Arya by speaking to their current and childhood coaches. His background in on-field reporting has helped Hindustan Times Digital break exclusive stories on major developments, including Virat Kohli’s return to the Ranji and Vijay Hazare Trophy, IPL scheduling, and the T20 World Cup controversy involving Bangladesh and Pakistan.Read More