IPL teams luring English stars to quit int’l cricket: Report

LONDON: In a move that brought back memories of the tectonic disruption caused by Kerry Packer in the late 1970s, owners of top IPL franchises are trying to convince as many as six premier England players to quit international cricket and take up handsome annual contracts ranging up to five million pounds in order to play T20 leagues round the year, the Times London reported.

The contract offers could come as soon as the end of the year, it said, also claiming that similar discussions took place with star Australian T20 specialists.

Almost all the 10 IPL franchises have branched out in various leagues, including CPL (West Indies), SA T20 (South Africa), Global T20 League (UAE) and the upcoming Major League T20 in the US. There will also be an ambitious Saudi T20 league where some of the IPL franchises might be investing.

“Initial discussions have taken place after at least six English players… were approached by IPL franchise owners and asked whether, in principle, they would accept a deal that would make an Indian team their main employer, rather than the ECB or an English county,” the report said, without naming the franchises or players.

Contracts could be worth more than two million a year and even as high as five million pounds— more than five times the value of the highest England central contracts. “Discussions have already taken place with a number of high-profile Australian players about full-time deals but this has now been extended to English players,” it said.

The paper also spoke about the possibility of having partial contracts both with ECB or county and the IPL franchise. “Reduced IPL deals — covering at least three of the rounds — would also be on offer… What is more likely is that players will arrange “bespoke” deals depending on their own circumstances, which could result in them being part-contracted to their county or the ECB and part-contracted to a franchise.”