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India's legendary batter Sunil Gavaskar has lambasted Jofra Archer for aborting Mumbai Indians' (MI) camp halfway through the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023. Marred by the recurring elbow injury, Archer featured for MI in mere five matches in IPL 2023 and left the MI camp on May 9 midway when Paltans needed him the most. Archer, who was acquired by five-time IPL champions in IPL 2022 auction, is expected to miss eight months of cricket due to his elbow injury.
Gavaskar, who is not impressed by the idea of Archer leaving the IPL 2023 midway, said that Mumbai-based franchise shouldn't give the England's star bowler a single penny.
Notably Archer couldn't play a single match in the previous edition of the IPL when he was roped in by Mumbai. However, he was expected to make a comeback for MI in the sixteenth season of the glitzy league, especially in the absence of team's pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah, but to no avail. Archer did play few matches in IPL 2023, but to only leak bulk of runs. In the tie against RCB he conceded 33 runs, 56 and 42 runs in both the matches against Punjab Kings but could only snare two wickets in five matches.
Gavaskar comes down heavily on Archer
Batting great Gavaskar came down heavily on Archer and questioned his commitment towards Mumbai Indians.
"What has been Mumbai Indians experience of Jofra Archer? They took a punt on him knowing that he was injured and would be available only from this season. They paid big money for him and what has he given in return? He didn't seem 100 per cent fit and he should have informed the franchise about it. They only realised when he turned up and found that he was barely able to bowl at his usual pace. In between the tournament, he went abroad for treatment which is what his country's cricket board apparently said. So he was never fully fit, but still came over. If he was committed to the franchise, who probably pay him more than the ECB does, he should have stayed right till the end even if he wasn't going to play and show his commitment towards the franchise. Instead, he has opted to fly off back to the UK," Gavaskar wrote in his column for Mid-Day.
The 73-year-old former India skipper also said that MI are not fools to to sign a lame fornse for any future race.
"A day later, a story appears that he is going to get a multi-million-pound deal with Mumbai Indians to play for their team in the various leagues in the world. This has got to be the greatest diversionary trick attempted. Mumbai Indians are not fools to sign a lame horse for any future race. Make no mistake, Mumbai Indians won't be amused at the turn of events and now that they have come back well in the tournament without his presence, he will be lucky if he gets his full fee for the IPL and if he does then he would do well to give half to his favourite charity."
Besides Archer there are a few more players on whom IPL franchises broke the banks but didn't get the returns as they expected. CSK roped in Kyle Jamieson for ₹1 crore, MI signed Jhye Richardson for ₹1.5 crore, RCB acquired Will Jacks for ₹3.2 crore but to only suffer big losses, which has done nothing but left Gavaskar perplexed.
"There's simply no point paying even one rupee for a player, however big a name he may be, if he is not going to be available for the entire tournament. It's got to be the player's choice to pick playing for an IPL franchise or his country. Full marks to him if he chooses country over IPL, but if he chooses IPL then he has to fulfil his commitments totally and not make some excuse and leave early, especially towards the time when qualifying for the Playoffs becomes crucial," added Gavaskar.
"For far too long the franchises have been too lenient and allowed players to leave towards the latter half of the tournament. This is mainly a problem with English players and like said earlier, it is totally understandable to choose playing for the country, but if you have signed up for the IPL then you got to fulfil your commitments to your franchise right till the end of the tournament. If the franchise fails to qualify for the Playoffs, you get to return a week early," Gavaskar's column read.
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