Former Indian skipper Sunil Gavaskar has questioned certain players' commitment while representing their nations when the Indian Premier League (IPL) is close.

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Gavaskar feels some players do not give their 100% in order to avoid injuries, so as to guarantee their presence at the IPL. 

The cricketer turned commentator also added that players do not give in extra efforts in international cricket when IPL is near the corner, he also observed that it could be due to the money that is spent by IPL franchises in the auction, which in many players' cases, is a life-transforming sum. 

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In his column for Times of India, Gavaskar wrote, "The auction is a life-changing one for all the players as it opens doors to a secure future for them and their families, that can also lead to some to not try as hard when playing for their country, especially when the IPL is round the corner, so to speak."

He further continued, "This is to ensure that there is no injury that will prevent them from being fit for the IPL and missing out on the security that an IPL contract guarantees. So the diving and sliding, or the hard throws from the deep, are not attempted for fear of doing some damage that will mean withdrawal from the IPL."

Gavaskar also opined that after franchises buy players on fat paychecks, there's also an added pressure on those players, which can be seen later during the matches. 

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"For those who were unlucky, it's an opportunity to prove that it was a mistake not to pick them and with more matches and teams in the IPL, there is always an opportunity to be a replacement player," he observed. 

"The followers of each franchise will be looking for early signs whether the money that they forked out is going to be worth it. That in itself will create pressure of expectations from the players and that could be a telling factor in these matches," stated Gavaskar. 

In total, 204 players were sold during the two-day IPL 2022 mega auction, with Mumbai Indians' Ishan Kishan the costliest of the lot, with his price of INR 15.25 crores.