Sunil Gavaskar is not happy with Jofra Archer’s decision to leave the Mumbai Indians camp in the middle of the IPL 2023. Archer, who played only five matches for MI this season, had a recurring elbow injury that kept him away from cricket for eight months. He left the IPL on May 9, even before MI finished their games. Gavaskar thinks MI should not pay Archer the full ₹8 crore they spent on him at the IPL 2022 auction.
The Mumbai Indians’ investment in Archer has been disappointing. After escaping the entire previous season, he was expected to assist with MI’s bowling issues due to the absence of Jasprit Bumrah. However, he didn’t live up to expectations and performed poorly. Archer gave away a lot of runs, only took two wickets, and struggled to perform at his best. Gavaskar is upset with Archer’s attitude and questions his commitment to the franchise.
Gavaskar mentioned that MI knew Archer was injured when they signed him, and he would only be available this season. Despite paying a large amount of money, Archer didn’t inform the team about his fitness concerns. MI realized his limited bowling ability when he joined the camp and couldn’t bowl at his usual pace. During the tournament, Archer went abroad for treatment based on his country’s cricket board’s instructions. It was clear that he wasn’t fully fit, yet he still chose to play. Gavaskar believes that if Archer was committed to the franchise, which likely pays him more than the ECB (England and Wales Cricket Board), he should have stayed until the end of the tournament to show his loyalty. Instead, he decided to return to the UK.
There was a report during the IPL that Archer had traveled to England to see a doctor, although he denied it on Twitter. Now that Archer is officially back home for rehabilitation and has been ruled out of England’s Ashes squad, Gavaskar hopes that MI won’t pay him the full amount agreed upon.
Shortly after, a story emerged claiming that Archer was set to receive a multi-million-pound deal with the Mumbai Indians to play in various leagues worldwide. Gavaskar sees this as a diversionary tactic and doesn’t think MI would sign an injured player for future tournaments. He warns that MI won’t be happy with the situation, especially since they performed well without Archer. Gavaskar suggests that Archer would be lucky to receive his full fee for the IPL, and if he does, he should consider donating half to charity.
Archer’s case is not the first time a franchise has invested heavily in a player who didn’t deliver as expected. This year, players like Kyle Jamieson, Jhye Richardson, and Will Jacks have also disappointed their respective franchises. Gavaskar believes this is a recurring problem and emphasizes the importance of players being available for the entire tournament if they are being paid.
In Gavaskar’s view, there’s no point in paying a player, regardless of their reputation, if they won’t be available for the entire tournament. Players should have the choice to prioritize playing for their IPL franchise or their country. However, if they choose the IPL, they should fulfill their commitments until the end of the tournament. Gavaskar thinks franchises have been too lenient in allowing players to leave midway through the season, particularly English players who prioritize national duties.
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