Former Pakistani cricketers are criticised by Sunil Gavaskar for their comments towards Indian IPL stars.

The Indian Premier League (IPL) has played a significant role in mending ties amongst athletes from many nations over the years. Players competing beside one another has mellowed out the ferocious fights on the field.

Sunil Gavaskar, a former Indian batter, stepped forth and discussed the same. He believed that the IPL had a major role to play in closing the global gap during the last few years.

“Sparks will undoubtedly fly when two of the top-ranked teams face off. But, since the IPL started, the rivalry between the players of the two teams has significantly decreased yet the intensity hasn’t changed at all, and that’s how it should be, according to Gavaskar’s Mid-Day column.
He also discussed the IPL’s exclusion of Pakistani players. Pakistani players have been prohibited from participating in the IPL, with the exception of the inaugural season, as a result of the political tensions between India and Pakistan.

“Although there will always be some friendly banter between players, the hostile and occasionally offensive exchanges are over. Currently, if there are any such disputes, they are almost always between players who do not participate in the IPL and who so harbour some animosity towards the Indian players they face. Some of them think that because of their accomplishments, they deserve more money than the Indian player, who receives millions from the IPL, Gavaskar continued.

Gavaskar also discussed the popularity of former Pakistani cricketers.
Sunil Gavaskar also spoke up and shared his opinions on how ex-Pakistani athletes use criticism of Indian athletes to seek attention on social media. The 73-year-old expressed his opinion that it is a ruse to expand one’s audience and fan base.
Seeing some former players from the other side of the border insult an Indian player by claiming that the Pakistani player is superior has nearly become routine. The Indian supporters will immediately respond, defending their favourite player, which will increase the number of fans of these former players from across the border, which is what these people know,” Gavaskar wrote.