BCCI is killing Indian players: Lalit Modi lashes out at board

Former IPL chairman Lalit Modi has strongly criticised the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), accusing it of overworking players and prioritising money over player welfare.

Modi’s comments came in response to an NDTV report which stated that India head coach Gautam Gambhir was unhappy with the team’s packed schedule ahead of the upcoming one-off Test against Afghanistan.

According to the report, Gambhir was concerned that several Indian players would be involved in the IPL 2026 final on May 31 and might have to join the national squad almost immediately for the Test match against Afghanistan, which begins on June 6. This could force the selection committee to call up reserve Test players for the fixture, despite India’s recent struggles in home red-ball cricket.

Reacting to the report, Modi said that the board was “killing” Indian cricketers with relentless scheduling and treating them like “mules.”

“The BCCI is killing its players with the hectic scheduling. Guys, stop this outrageous scheduling you are putting the boys through. They need time with their families and just some time off. You do not need the money,” Modi said.

He further added that the board should focus on player welfare rather than financial concerns, claiming that the IPL had already created enough long-term financial security for Indian cricket.

“I created annuity revenue that the world envies. You will never have to worry about that while sitting in those chairs. Do something good with your decisions, for heaven’s sake. The welfare of the players is paramount. Do not overwork them,” he said.

Earlier, India Test captain Shubman Gill had also spoken about the lack of preparation time before red-ball assignments, saying that there should be at least two weeks of camp before heading into a Test series.

The issue of player workload has become a growing concern in modern cricket, especially with the ever-expanding IPL window and India’s packed international calendar. With players moving directly from high-intensity franchise cricket into crucial international assignments, concerns over fatigue, injuries, and lack of red-ball preparation have become increasingly common.

Many times, India have sent second or even third-string teams for T20 assignments overseas, mostly against associate nations. But if India can afford to do that in a home Test match, that remains to be seen.

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