Sydney: Australian cricketers Pat Cummins and Travis Head reportedly turned down a $10 million offer from an Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise that wanted them to quit international cricket and represent the team in global T20 leagues.

According to a report by the Sydney Morning Herald, the offer was made as part of discussions involving Cricket Australia and stakeholders on privatising the Big Bash League (BBL). The franchise’s name has not been disclosed, though both players currently represent Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in the IPL.

Multi-league expansion strategy

Several IPL franchises now have ownership stakes in T20 leagues across the world — including South Africa’s SA20, the Caribbean Premier League (CPL), Major League Cricket (MLC) in the USA, and the International League T20 (ILT20) in the UAE. Such multi-league investments make top-tier players like Cummins and Head attractive for year-round participation.

However, both players declined the offer, reaffirming their commitment to Australian cricket.

Million-dollar dilemma for cricketers

T20 leagues continue to lure international stars with high-paying contracts. Earlier, South African batter Heinrich Klaasen announced his retirement from international cricket to focus on franchise tournaments. England’s Jofra Archer and Jos Buttler were also reportedly approached with similar offers in 2023 but chose to remain with their national side.

Klaasen recently emphasised the financial imbalance, telling CricBuzz:

“If they don’t take care of the international players, they will go out and go to the leagues to make some extra cash. If you look at the Aussies and the England boys, they get looked after well, so they don’t need to go around the world and play all these leagues.”

Salary gap among Australian athletes

While Australian cricketers are among the most recognisable sports stars in the country, their earnings remain modest compared to athletes in other sports.
NBA’s Josh Giddey earns about $38 million, NFL’s Jordan Mailata makes $34 million, F1 driver Oscar Piastri earns $40 million, and NBA’s Dyson Daniels draws $12 million — significantly higher than what top cricketers receive from Cricket Australia contracts and IPL deals combined.