Sunil Gavaskar has flagged growing concerns over time-wasting in the Indian Premier League (IPL), urging the BCCI to clamp down not just on bowling sides but also on batters and support staff, warning that creeping delays are diluting the sharpness of the contest.
The former India captain, while acknowledging the league’s evolution on and off the field, believes match tempo remains an area that needs urgent tightening. With over-rate rules already in place, Gavaskar argued that the same accountability must extend to those at the crease and beyond the boundary rope.
“In fact, everything about this year’s IPL looks better than the previous years. It’s not just the cricket but just the overall ambience around it,” he wrote in his column for Mid-Day.
“What can be improved of course is the time taken to finish a game. There’s also a timer between overs, so that the next over begins before 60 seconds have passed. If a team breaches it again after two warnings, five runs are added to the opposition score. Now here is where a similar penalty of five runs could ensure the batters are not fiddling and wasting time.”
Gavaskar pointed out that while teams have largely adapted to over-rate regulations, delays caused by incoming batters and extended breaks continue to stretch games well beyond their intended duration. He suggested trimming existing allowances and enforcing stricter consequences if players fail to be ready in time.
Tighter rules, real penalties
The batting legend argued that modern dugout setups remove the need for long transitions after wickets, making existing time buffers redundant. He also highlighted how strategic timeouts and mid-over interruptions are increasingly being stretched, calling for clearer boundaries and enforcement.
“Today all batters are in the dug-out instead of being in their change room as in the past, so the allowance of two minutes can be brought down to a minute. If the batter is not ready to face the bowler, then after a couple of warnings to the team, the penalty runs should kick in. Similarly, the first ball after the strategic time out should be bowled exactly after two minutes and 30 seconds have passed… this is being exploited. Unless the penalty is such that it can affect the result of the game, it won’t be effective.”
He extended his criticism to off-field interference, particularly reserve players entering the field during play. Gavaskar maintained that such practices disrupt rhythm and compromise the sanctity of the playing area, suggesting demerit points and team-level sanctions as deterrents.
In Gavaskar’s view, the IPL’s edge lies in precision and discipline.
“The IPL is a fantastic tournament, but a bit of looseness and laxity is coming in which is not cricket and if the ever-alert BCCI can take measures to get it even more crisper and tighter, it will be truly unbeatable and brilliantly spectacular as any event can ever be,” he said.
