XtraTime Web Desk: Legendary Indian batsman Sunil Gavaskar took a dig at those people who criticise the Indian Premier League and he thinks their negative comments towards the tournament come out of jealousy. IPL season 13 which was scheduled to be held in March, was postponed indefinitely due to Covid-19 outbreak, will now be played in the UAE starting September 19 after the postponement of T20 World Cup in Australia created a window.
Speaking to India Today on the latest episode of Inspiration, Gavaskar said: “They [the critics] only see the money aspect that is there in the IPL. They don’t look at what the IPL does. I think it all boils down to jealousy. Only those who do not benefit from it, do not get anything from the IPL criticise it.”
“There are so many people whose livelihoods are there because of the IPL. It can be the guys who are at the grounds who paint people’s faces, people who are making those shirts that are sold outside the stadiums just before a match, or the vendors who have food stalls at the stadium. There is an entire cottage industry around the IPL,” he further added.
Gavaskar went on to add that people criticise IPL on social media because it is a soft target. “Somebody wants to be a little famous on the Internet, then you target the IPL. The IPL is a soft target,” he said.
“An argument people opposed to the IPL give is, we know Indian cricket and we are thinking of the good of Indian cricket. Oh, I see, so you are the only ones who are going to be sitting in judgement and telling us what is good for Indian cricket. Of course, not,” Gavaskar further said.
Meanwhile, India captain Virat Kohli landed in Dubai for the IPL 2020 on Saturday. A day after landing in Dubai for IPL 2020, the Royal Challengers Bangalore captain decided not to waste any time and straightaway jumped to physical training inside his hotel room. RCB took to twitter to share Kohli’s photograph after training with the caption: “No days off for Captain Kohli!”
With inputs from India Today.