IPL 2026: “Nobody else…”- Sunil Gavaskar requests BCCI to take action on fresh concern

The T20s were designed to be short and exciting, making it easy for the fans to stay in the stadium and enjoy the ground. But these days, the games have become quite long, nearly four hours or even more, creating issues for the parents to take their son or daughter back to the ground. 

In the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026, the game between the Mumbai Indians and Royal Challengers Bengaluru at the iconic Wankhede Stadium went over the four-hour mark and didn’t seem to be ending any time soon due to several injuries. 

Sunil Gavaskar urges BCCI to take action on new concern

The former Indian captain, Sunil Gavaskar, has lashed out at the delays in play during the ongoing IPL, with multiple games getting well over the scheduled time. 

“Often, one sees the unnecessary sight of reserve players stepping onto the ground to give a bottle of water to a fielder near the boundary. That should not be allowed, as it effectively means more than 11 players on the field while play is on, even if it is between deliveries.” Gavaskar wrote in his column on Mid-Day.

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“During strategic time-outs, too, one often sees half a dozen people on the field, including batters who are yet to come in. That is taking liberties too far. Apart from two reserve players carrying drinks and two members of the coaching staff, nobody else should be allowed on the ground.” He revealed.

The Mumbai-born suggested a few changes that could be made to reduce the delays after a wicket falls. He criticized the players for taking frequent breaks in between overs.

“Since all batters are already in the dugout, the allowance of two minutes can be reduced to one minute. If a batter is still not ready to face the bowler, then after a couple of warnings, penalty runs should be imposed." Gavaskar concluded in his column. 

PBKS and RCB showed clinical performance in IPL 2026

Punjab Kings and Royal Challengers Bengaluru are at the top of the points table. The Shreyas Iyer-led side is in first position with six victories in seven encounters, having not lost a single clash, at the net run rate of +1.333. Bengaluru, on the other hand, is at two with six wins in eight clashes. 

Lucknow Super Giants are at the bottom of the table with just two victories in eight games. The Chennai Super Kings, Gujarat Titans, and the Delhi Capitals are stuck in the middle muddle of the table.