Indian cricket legend Sunil Gavaskar has made a shocking statement after the conclusion of the Indian Premier League (IPL 2022) mega auction, which will certainly raise a few eyebrows.

Gavaskar has questioned certain players' commitment while representing their nations when the international matches are happening during the IPL auction or the IPL is close.

The former Indian captain believes that some players do not give their 100% in order to avoid injuries and to guarantee their presence in the world’s best and cash-rich IPL league.

Gavaskar wrote in his column for Times of India: “The auction is a life-changing one for all the players as it opens doors to a secure future for them and their families. That can also lead to some to not try as hard when playing for their country, especially when the IPL is around the corner, so to speak.”

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He added, “This is to ensure that there is no injury that will prevent them from being fit for the IPL and missing out on the security that an IPL contract guarantees. So the diving and sliding, or the hard throws from the deep, are not attempted for fear of doing some damage that will mean withdrawal from the IPL.”

A lot of international stars, including Steve Smith, Ishant Sharma, and former batter Suresh Raina, went unsold at the recent IPL 2022 mega auction, and Gavaskar said that it is a great opportunity for them to prove the IPL franchises wrong by performing well in the upcoming matches, as there is still an opportunity to make it to the IPL 15 if some players get injured.

Gavaskar further explained, “For those who were unlucky, it's an opportunity to prove that it was a mistake not to pick them, and with more matches and teams in the IPL, there is always an opportunity to be a replacement player.”

He signed off by saying, “The followers of each franchise will be looking for early signs whether the money that they forked out is going to be worth it. That in itself will create pressure of expectations from the players and that could be a telling factor in these matches.”

(With TOI Inputs)