Australia captain Pat Cummins and top-order batsman Travis Head have reportedly turned down an AUD 10 million (Rs 58.2 crore approx) offer to leave international cricket and play in foreign T20 leagues from an IPL team.
Both players, however, graciously declined the offer because they are still dedicated to the national team. Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) has IPL contracts with Cummins and Head that are valued at Rs 18 crore and Rs 14 crore, respectively. Additionally, the yearly contracts of the best Australian players bring in about AUD 12.5 million (approximately Rs 874 crore). However, Cummins' international cricket income is worth about AUD 3 million (Rs 17.48 crore) once his captaincy stipend is taken into account.
Cricket Australia's 'tenuous hold' on stars revealed in private BBL talks
The Sydney Morning Herald reported the information became public during the discussions between Cricket Australia and other stakeholders about privatising the Big Bash League (BBL).
The report said," But according to three senior cricket sources not authorised to speak about private discussions, they have surfaced in talks between Cricket Australia, the state associations and the players' union about whether to privatise the Big Bash League”.
The report also added, “The offers have been used as an example of how tenuous Australian cricket's hold on its players is becoming, and as part of the argument for bolstering the BBL with private capital that would raise player salaries, and also link the T20 league into a growing global network of franchise owners.”
Former South Africa batter Heinrich Klaasen, a teammate of Cummins and Head at SRH, recently quit international cricket in June to play in global leagues exclusively.
