IPL Franchise Tempts Cummins and Head with Lucrative Offer to Abandon Australian Cricket
In a stunning turn of events, an Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise has reportedly approached Australian cricket stars Pat Cummins and Travis Head with an offer of approximately $10 million (INR 58 crore) each annually. The proposal entails that they retire from international cricket and commit full-time to playing in various T20 leagues across the globe for the franchise's affiliated teams.
According to reports, the offer was presented informally. It involved Cummins and Head representing the franchise in multiple leagues worldwide. This network includes leagues in South Africa, the Caribbean, the United Arab Emirates, and the United States.
Both Cummins and Head have declined the offer, reaffirming their commitment to Australian cricket. Their decision underscores their dedication to representing their country in all formats of the game.
Cummins, the current captain of the Australian Test and ODI teams, was retained by Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) for ₹18 crore (approximately $2.3 million USD) for the 2025 IPL season. He had previously been signed for ₹20.5 crore in 2024. In addition to his IPL salary, Cummins earns a reported 3 million Australian dollars (INR 17.5 crore approx.) annually from his Cricket Australia central contract, inclusive of his captaincy fee. His total net worth is estimated to be around $43 million (around ₹356 crore).
Head, who also plays for Sunrisers Hyderabad, was retained for INR 14 crore for the 2025 season. This is a significant increase from his previous IPL salary of ₹5,000,000 (₹ 13,000,000 total IPL income) when he played for Royal Challengers Bangalore. He also has a grade A+ contract with Cricket Australia, ensuring he makes about ₹4 crore (AUD 720,000) a year.
The rejection of such a lucrative offer highlights the ongoing debate about the balance between international cricket and the increasingly appealing world of franchise T20 leagues. Many IPL franchises have ownership in various T20 leagues, and seek to ensure the availability of star players across all tournaments.
The situation has sparked discussions within Cricket Australia (CA) regarding the potential privatization of the Big Bash League (BBL), Australia's domestic T20 competition. It is believed that private investment could boost player wages and attract more talent to the league.
Notably, Cummins and Head are not the first players to have received such offers. England's Jofra Archer reportedly rejected a $7.5 million a year deal with Mumbai Indians a few years ago.
