Pat Cummins focused on cracking down on contracts

While the rule targets a host of international players, no one will be more affected than Cummins as Australia’s fast bowler and multi-format captain.

Last year, Cummins was linked to the Kolkata Knight Riders but withdrew from the IPL, citing a congested schedule that also included a Test tour of India, a World Test Championship and Ashes series in England and the ODI World Cup, also in India .

“I have made the difficult decision to miss next year’s IPL,” Cummins said on social media at the time. “The international schedule is packed with Tests and ODIs over the next twelve months, so we will be taking some rest ahead of an Ashes series and the World Cup.”

Thanks to time at home, Cummins led Australia to multiple trophies, culminating in the World Cup victory over India in Ahmedabad in November. Young all-rounder Cameron Green, meanwhile, commanded a price tag of $3.15 million, but his performances declined as the year progressed.

Cummins was subsequently bought by Sunrisers Hyderabad for a record $3.67 million at the IPL auction, and entered this year with a much less cluttered range of international assignments. As captain, Cummins led Hyderabad to the IPL final, where they were defeated by a Kolkata team managed by Mitchell Starc ($4.43 million) in his first IPL stint in years.

Loading

If Cummins had skipped last year’s event under the new regulations, he would have received a two-tournament ban. Such a sanction will be difficult to swallow given the figures involved. With their auction prices last year, Cummins and Starc each made more money bowling two balls playing franchise cricket than five days of hard Test matches in a baggy green.

Numerous other Australian players have withdrawn from the IPL in recent times without getting hurt. Notably, Adam Zampa opted to spend time at home this year instead of joining the Rajasthan Royals, arguing that he needed time out amid international assignments.

“There are several reasons why the IPL wasn’t for me this year,” Zampa said Willow talk podcast earlier this year. “I think the most important one was the fact that it is a World Cup year and I am completely empty of 2023.

“Last year I did the entire IPL. Of course, the World Cup also lasted three months in India. So I had the best intentions of playing the IPL again this year.

“But when push came to shove, I felt like I couldn’t really offer the best version of myself to Rajasthan Royals. I’m looking forward to the World Cup, that’s more important to me.”

News, results and expert analyzes from the sports weekend are sent every Monday. Sign up for our Sports Newsletter.