The impact of the lucrative Indian Premier League (IPL) could be affecting the attitude of younger players who are becoming increasingly focused on money, Indian cricket's governing body has admitted for the first time.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) formed the multi-million dollar Twenty20 IPL two years ago and while former players have commented on the impact of the money on player attitudes, the board has maintained its silence.
India's players have faced criticism after first round elimination in the Twenty20 World Cup and the ICC Champions Trophy, which ended in South Africa earlier this month.
The BCCI Chief Administrative Officer Ratnakar Shetty said a senior team member rang him after the Champions Trophy to complain that the younger players seemed hardly concerned at their exit.
"One of the senior players called me up after the Champions Trophy and said the youngsters did not feel the loss as badly as him, " he told a meeting in Mumbai. "He said there was no feeling whether we won or not. There was no sadness."
Other international boards have already expressed concern about the impact of the IPL, claiming it would turn players away from international cricket to focus on earning lucrative contracts in the competition.
"As far as the younger generation is concerned, all that I was saying and meant was that we (normally) have a hurt feeling when we do not do well in international tournaments," he later told the Times Now channel.
"Winning tournaments are important for us.
"Getting the (top) ICC ranking is one thing and winning international tournaments is another, and this is extremely important."
