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Pat Cummins has become the latest Australian quick to put country before cash, pulling out of next year’s Indian Premier League due to workload concerns.
Cummins made the call to skip next year’s tournament for the Kolkata Knight Riders, foregoing a $1.3 million salary that comes with his appearance.
The decision comes after he was elevated to the captaincy of Australia’s one-day team, with a World Cup in India at the end of next year.
Australia also have a four-Test tour in India next February and March before the IPL, while a five-Test Ashes series in England and potential World Test Championship final follow.
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Cummins’ decision comes after Mitchell Starc has long skipped the IPL, wanting to prioritise his fitness for Australia ahead of the big-money tournament.
The pair have also rarely played in the Big Bash League at home, citing the same reasons.
“I’ve made the difficult decision to miss next years IPL,” Cummins tweeted on Tuesday morning.
“The international schedule is packed with Tests and ODI’s for the next 12 months, so will take some rest ahead of an Ashes series and World Cup.”
Cummins’ workload had been a major talking point before he was handed both the Test and ODI captaincy, with the quick still featuring in all three formats for Australia.
When factoring in all Tests this summer as well as one-day and Twenty20 series on the road in 2023, Australia’s players have up to 106 days of international cricket in the next 12 months.
That figure includes a possible World Test Championship final in London with Australia currently top of the table, as well as the semi-finals and final of next year’s ODI World Cup.
The problem is most significant for fast bowlers Cummins, Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood, and allrounder Cameron Green who will each play against England in ODIs this week.
(Photo by Darrian Traynor/Getty Images)
David Warner, Alex Carey, Steve Smith, Travis Head and Marnus Labuschagne also play across both red and white-ball formats, meaning nine of Australia’s top XI are now regulars in both the Test and one-day teams.
Australia’s selections for this week’s matches have also shown selectors want to give players as much match preparation as possible for next year’s World Cup.
Virtually all cricket in the next 12 months is either in the form of Test or 50-over matches, with three T20s against South Africa next August the sole exception.
The topic of quick turnarounds between series has been a point of contention for players, with England allrounder Moeen Ali lamenting the fact his team must play again just four days after a World Cup triumph.
“It’s been happening for a while,” Moeen told reporters after England’s T20 triumph on Sunday.
“When we won the World Cup in 2019, we had an Ashes game two weeks later and we had a Test match against Ireland about 10 days later.
“Those kind of things are a shame.
“As a group we want to enjoy and celebrate and have that (time) because you put so much into it.
“Having a game in three days’ time, it’s horrible.”
NOVEMBER: Three ODIs v England (home)
NOVEMBER-DECEMBER: Two Tests v West Indies (home)
DECEMBER-JANUARY: Three Tests v South Africa (home)
JANUARY 2023: Big Bash League*
FEBRUARY-MARCH: Four Tests and three ODIs v India (away)
MARCH: Three ODIs v Afghanistan (neutral)**
APRIL-MAY: Indian Premier League*
JUNE: World Test Championship final (in England)
JUNE-JULY: Five Tests v England (away)
AUGUST-SEPTEMBER: Five ODIs and three T20s v South Africa (away)
SEPTEMBER: 3 ODIs v India (away)
OCTOBER-NOVEMBER: ODI World Cup, nine matches plus finals (in India)
* Several Australian players remain contracted for the January BBL window and IPL season.
** Afghanistan tour appears scheduled by ICC Future Tours Program, but would require a change in Cricket Australia’s stance on the Taliban regime.
© AAP
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