Former IPL chairman Lalit Modi recently took to Twitter (formerly Twitter) and called the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) ‘outrageous scheduling’.
Modi said that players need to spend time with their families and the welfare of the players should be paramount.
Furthermore, he said that the board should be composed mainly of former players and a professional CEO is needed.
Lalit Modi reacted to NDTV report
In his post, Modi was responding to an NDTV report which said that Team India head coach Gautam Gambhir was unhappy with the BCCI over the tight schedule for the team.
The IPL 2026 final is currently scheduled for May 31, although the venue for the final has not been confirmed. As things stand, exactly 6 days later, i.e. on 6th June, India has to play Afghanistan in the one-off Test match in Mullanpur.
With the IPL final being so close, there is a high possibility that some senior players will be rested for the match against Afghanistan.
Lalit Modi said that BCCI is killing its players with this ‘hectic scheduling’ and the board does not need to worry about money.
India’s recent struggles on home turf and need for downtime
Over the last two years, India have struggled on home soil in Test cricket. India was defeated by New Zealand in 2024 and by South Africa in 2025 at home. Under such circumstances, the decision to rest senior players, even if against Afghanistan, has come under scrutiny. The match against Afghanistan will not be a part of the World Test Championship.
These results have raised questions in the minds of fans and experts whether coach Gambhir is really suitable for the position or not, at least in red-ball cricket.
The whitewash on home soil has also jeopardized India’s chances of qualifying for the World Test Championship final. After losing to New Zealand in 2024, India lost the Border-Gavaskar Trophy to Australia later that year and missed qualifying for the WTC final in 2025.
In January this year, India’s Test captain Shubman Gill had asked the BCCI to host a 15-day preparation camp before each Test series.
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‘Work from heart and soul’ – Lalit Modi told BCCI
Lalit Modi further said that BCCI should put players’ self-development at the center of the organization and stop treating players like ‘mules’.
He also said that the board should pay higher salaries to the players and work on their human resource management. He also urged the BCCI to work with ‘heart and soul’ and work on improving the fan experience at the stadium.
Read Lalit Modi’s tweet here:
I agree. BCCI is wasting its players due to busy schedule. Guys, stop this outrageous schedule you’re putting on boys. They need time with their family and just time – you don’t need money. I made annuity revenues that are the envy of the world. You will… https://t.co/vkYYXa3kf6
– Lalit Kumar Modi (@LalitKModi) 22 April 2026
