IPL chairman Arun Dhumal slams Rohit, Shastri over ‘workload management’ row

Recently, on the eve of Mumbai Indians’ first game in IPL 2023, Indian skipper Rohit Sharma, on being questioned regarding the workload management and giving rest to players, had said that it’s all up to the franchises now.

“It’s all up to the franchises now. Franchises own them. We have given indications, some kind of borderline thing to teams, but at the end of the day, it’s up to the franchise. I doubt that will happen, though,” Rohit had said.

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In past 6 months, important players including Deepak Chahar and Washington Sundar have been in and out of the side. Also, key players like Jasprit Bumrah has been sidelined since T20 World Cup and Shreyas Iyer will be missing WTC final with a back injury.

Earlier, former Indian head coach Ravi Shastri too urged the BCCI to take a stand on workload management and have a discussion on the same with IPL franchises.

“You need that much cricket and you need to give certain break. Even if it happens to be IPL. Board has to take the stand there, tell the franchises, ‘listen, we need them. India need them. For India’s sake, if he doesn’t play those games, it will be good,” he had said.

While brushing aside all these, IPL chairman Arun Dhumal, in an interview with Indian Express, said that players like Kohli, Mohammed Shami and Ravindra Jadeja never got injured playing IPL during their career.

He said: “The problem in our country is that whosoever makes money, be it a company or individual, he is seen with suspicion. Virat Kohli has been playing IPL for so many years, he’s never been injured. Ravindra Jadeja, Mohammed Shami never got injured. Does it have anything to do with the IPL?”

Though on Shreyas Iyer’s injury, he said, “Shreyas Iyer got injured but not because of the IPL. Just because they make money through IPL, we start blaming IPL for anything and everything. Injuries are an integral part of any sport. Our badminton stars are getting injured. They don’t play in the IPL. There are so many stars who are coming from overseas and playing in the IPL.”