Australia captain Pat Cummins and star batter Travis Head have reportedly turned down a AUD 10 million (Rs 58.2 crore approx.) offer from an IPL team to quit international cricket and play in overseas T20 leagues. However, both the players politely turned down the offer, as they remain committed to the national team. Both Cummins and Head have IPL contracts with Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH), worth Rs 18 crore and Rs 14 crore, respectively. In addition, top Australian players earn around AUD 1.5 million (Rs 8.74 crore approx) from their annual contracts.
However, Cummins’ international cricket income is worth about AUD 3 million (Rs 17.48 crore) once his captaincy stipend is taken into account.
According to the Sydney Morning Herald, the revelation was made during the discussions between Cricket Australia and other stakeholders about privatising the Big Bash League (BBL).
“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 said.
“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.”
While Cummins and Head are among Australia’s top earners in cricket, their current salaries are not even close to what the country’s top athletes are paid annually.
The list is topped by Formula 1 driver Oscar Piastri (about AUD 40 million), NBA player Josh Giddey (about AUD 38 million) and NFL player Jordan Mailata (about AUD 34 million). These sports have private ownership.
Former South Africa batter Heinrich Klaasen, a teammate of Cummins and Head at SRH, quit international cricket in June to play in global leagues exclusively.