Sources close to 6 IPL franchise owners have revealed that team owners have offered lucrative multi-million contracts to top International cricketers with hopes of the players quitting their National teams and never return for International duty.
A report by the Times London stated that IPL team owners are planning to lure and tie the players up with fat and healthy contracts with exposure of playing different T20 leagues around the world & all year long. The contracts are reportedly worth 5 million pounds but is this the start of something new or something which can kill the traditional nature of cricket.
Ever since the IPL began, business bloomed for not just the BCCI or the owners or the players but also to International cricket. IPL team owners are alone responsible for reviving and launching Franchise T20 leagues by regularly investing in different teams.
Almost every IPL team owner have become stake holders of teams in several leagues like the Caribbean Premier League, Global T20 League, SA T20 and the forthcoming Major League cricket in the United States of America.
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6 English cricketers have been approached and some of them are major International stars. If the reports materialize in future then for the first time in history, English cricketers will have Indian employers and not the England Cricket Board or any other county club in the country.
“Initial discussions have taken place after at least six English players, including some international stars, 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.” – a report said.
But a report also suggested that it is unlikely that English players will not commit to any contract like that in honor of their Nation’s pride. “Reduced IPL deals — covering at least three of the rounds — would also be on offer. It is unlikely that any of England’s Test stars will walk away from their central contracts in favour of a franchise contract but the sheer amount of money on offer makes that a risk in the future.”
