Skip to main content

"It Hurts'": Ganguly Slams IPL Uncertainty Over Rs 11.75 Crore Overseas Pacer

Former Indian cricket team captain Sourav Ganguly did not mince words when asked for his reaction on the uncertainty surrounding Mitchell Starc's availability for the start of IPL 2026. Delhi Capitals said at the press conference that they are waiting for a green signal from Cricket Australia. And this is what Dada said while in Delhi for a brand endorsement for Jakson, "It hurts... because when quality players don't come in at the last minute, it shakes the balance of the team." Starc is set to miss the opening phase of the season as Cricket Australia carefully manages his workload ahead of a packed 2026-27 calendar. The timing could not be worse as franchises build their squads and strategies around marquee overseas players.

Ganguly, speaking on the broader issue of player availability in franchise cricket, said the impact of such late withdrawals is far greater in the IPL than in international cricket.

"It hurts because I've always said making an Indian team is easier than making an IPL team. Because the best players are available all the time to be picked. IPL is 10 teams that players get distributed. And when quality players don't come in at the last minute, obviously it shakes up the balance of the team."

He hit on the depth available in international squads, that is rarely mirrored in franchise setups.

"Because the substitutes, the availability is not as strong as the one who's not turned up... But in IPL if Mitchell Starc misses out or Pathirana misses out, the void is very hard to fill. So that's one of the challenges."

The former India captain, however, stopped short of criticising workload management itself, acknowledging the toll modern cricket takes on players across formats and leagues.

"Workload management is very important because players do play a lot of cricket. It's not just the IPL... more than physical, the mental part takes over. Away from home, away from families. It's never easy. So it's a balance which will continue to happen."

England cricketer Ben Duckett also pulled out of IPL 2026 as he wanted to concentrate on international cricket.

The uncertainty has not gone down well with commentators either. Harsha Bhogle called the lack of clarity around Starc's status "frustrating", especially in a league where franchises invest heavily in overseas stars. He argued that teams deserve firmer assurances when they commit significant portions of their salary purse to marquee players and warned that repeated episodes could push franchises towards stricter contract clauses and heavier financial deductions.

Delhi Capitals had structured their bowling attack around Starc's pace and new-ball threat, but this forces them to rethink.

This is not the first time the IPL has had to navigate the complicated triad of international calendars, bilateral commitments and franchise expectations. With players now juggling national duty, multiple T20 leagues and personal rest windows, such situations are likely to recur. As Ganguly put it, "Injuries will happen. Players will have problems... and you have to deal with it."



from NDTV News- Special https://ift.tt/51TYKrx
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

PM Modi To Reschedule 3-Nation Europe Visit As Tensions With Pakistan Soar

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has put his three-nation Europe visit on hold as tensions between India and Pakistan have surged in the wake of the terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam in which 26 civilians were killed by Pak-linked terrorists in a religiously-motivated terror attack. India responded on Wednesday with precision missile strikes on terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. PM Modi, who is closely-monitoring the situation, has reportedly asked for his visit to Croatia, Norway, and the Netherlands, which was due next week, to be rescheduled. As per his original schedule Prime Minister Modi was to commence his official visit to the three nations on May 13. He was also going to participate in the India-Nordic Summit in Oslo on May 15 and 16. All three countries have been informed about the change in PM Modi's schedule. They have also been appraised about the current situation between India and Pakistan. Last month too, on the day of the Pahalga...
Post a Comment
Read more

Delhi to Get More EV Charging, Battery Swapping Stations as Cab Aggregators Increase E-Bikes

The NDMC is planning to increase the number of EV charging stations in Lutyens' Delhi and even provide battery swapping facilities at some of these points, a senior official said on Wednesday. With Delhi being among the most polluted capitals in the world, the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) has been making a push for electric vehicles to nudge residents to opt for cleaner vehicle options. There are around 100 electric vehicle (EV) charging stations across the national capital at present and this would be the first time that some of them would have battery swapping facilities, which is quite prominent in Western countries, he said. The official said the aim is to provide easy accessibility to charging stations and to save time by providing swapping facilities. This will give a major push to EVs in the city. Various PSUs, including the Rajasthan Electronics and Instruments Limited (REIL) and the Kerala State Electronics Development Corporation Limited (KELTRON), have approac...
Post a Comment
Read more

After Nitish Kumar's 'Praise', BJP Says Doors Closed For Him

The opposition BJP in Bihar on Thursday said that its doors were "closed" for Chief Minister Nitish Kumar who dumped the saffron party a year ago, stripping it of power in the state. State BJP President Samrat Choudhary made the averment to this effect in reply to queries from journalists about the Janata Dal United leader's address to the convocation ceremony of Mahatma Gandhi Central University at Motihari. Speaking in the presence of President Droupadi Murmu and Governor Rajendra Arlekar, Mr Kumar had freely spoken of the tussle he had with the then Congress government at the Centre for getting a university approved for Motihari, where Mahatma Gandhi had launched the Champaran Satyagraha. Without mentioning Prime Minister Narendra Modi by name, Mr Kumar acknowledged that the project saw the light of the day only after a change of guard "in 2014" as the UPA government "initially refused and after much persuasion agreed in principle but did not move for...
Post a Comment
Read more