Former India batter Sunil Gavaskar has called on the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to create a new rule that would ban players who cannot fulfill the roles they were signed for by Indian Premier League (IPL) franchises. This statement comes after the issue involving Cameron Green, who was not allowed by Cricket Australia (CA) to bowl for the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR).
Gavaskar emphasized that if a player is unable to contribute on the field or is not fit for the IPL, they should withdraw from the tournament. This would allow the franchise to find a suitable replacement. He is opposed to players joining an IPL team while offering minimal effort.
“A bowler can bowl only four overs in a match… what is stopping them from doing so in the game? It is only fair that a player unfit from day one should withdraw and give the franchise the chance to pick someone else. The excuse that the franchise was ‘informed before’ is not adequate. Perhaps the BCCI needs to introduce rules for players who are unavailable from the first game. Don’t the franchises deserve full commitment?” Gavaskar wrote in his column for Sportstar.
Additionally, Green is not the only player facing restrictions from CA. Mitchell Marsh (Lucknow Super Giants) and Cooper Connolly (Punjab Kings) have also not received approval to bowl as all-rounders.
KKR spent INR 25.20 crores to acquire Green during the recent mini auction. The three-time champions view the 26-year-old as a potential successor to Andre Russell, who retired prior to the 2026 season.
However, Green’s start at Kolkata has been challenging. In three matches, he has scored only 24 runs and has not bowled a single over.