Former India captain Sunil Gavaskar has strongly criticised the decision of SunRisers Leeds to sign Pakistan spinner Abrar Ahmed in the 2026 auction of The Hundred, saying Indian franchise owners should avoid recruiting players from Pakistan due to the sensitive political relationship between the two nations.
Gavaskar also questioned whether sporting success should outweigh national concerns, arguing that Indian-owned entities must remain mindful of the wider implications of such decisions, as the money earned by Abrar could be used against India.
“The furore created by the acquisition of a Pakistani player by the Indian owner of a franchise in The Hundred is hardly surprising. Ever since the Mumbai attacks in November 2008, Indian franchise owners have simply ignored Pakistani players for the IPL,” Gavaskar wrote in his column for Mid-Day.
Gavaskar suggested that the issue goes beyond cricketing merit. According to him, the financial trail, which starts from player payments to government tax revenue, creates a moral dilemma for Indian owners when dealing with Pakistani sportspersons.
“Although belated, the realisation that the fees that they pay to a Pakistani player, who then pays income tax to his government, which buys arms and weapons, indirectly contributes to the deaths of Indian soldiers and civilians, is making Indian entities refrain from even considering having Pakistani artistes and sportspersons,” he wrote.
“Whether it is an Indian entity or an overseas subsidiary of the entity that is making the payment, if the owner is Indian, then he or she is contributing to the Indian casualties. It’s as simple as that,” Gavaskar added.
The former India opener also pointed out that while team management may look at signings purely from a cricketing perspective, franchise owners must weigh broader national implications before making such decisions.
“Daniel Vettori, the coach of the team in The Hundred who hails from New Zealand, may not understand this simple dynamic and so may have wanted some Pakistani players in his team, but surely the owner should have had an understanding of the situation and discouraged the purchase. Is winning a tournament in a format that no other country plays in much more important than Indian lives?” he noted.
SunRisers Leeds secured Abrar Ahmed for £190,000 (approximately Rs 2.34 crore) during the auction held in London on Thursday. The franchise is owned by the Sun Group, led by businessman Kalanithi Maran, with his daughter Kavya Maran representing the team at the auction table alongside head coach Daniel Vettori.
The signing has sparked widespread criticism from fans in India, who have also termed the franchise as anti-national.
Gavaskar also warned the franchise that the impact of the signing might be seen in the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026, and the fans may boycott the matches or stage a protest.
“It won’t be a surprise that for every game that this team plays, whether at home or away, there will be massive demonstrations by Indian fans protesting at this hard-to-believe buying. In fact, it won’t be a surprise that despite having some of the most attractive stroke makers in their team, the crowds may stay away and show their disapproval of the decision,” Gavaskar concluded.
