A recent report by The Times has revealed that franchise owners in the Indian Premier League (IPL) have offered full-time yearly contracts to six England players. These franchises, who have bought stakes in several other cricket leagues worldwide, have reportedly approached international stars playing in the ongoing 16th season of the IPL. The move is seen as an attempt by the IPL teams to secure the services of top foreign players for the entire year, including the lucrative IPL season and other domestic and international tournaments.
It also shows the growing influence of the IPL in the global cricket market, and its ability to attract top talent from around the world. The identity of the players offered the contracts has not been revealed, but it is likely that they are players who have made a significant impact in the IPL and other T20 leagues. The news is likely to spark interest among fans and stakeholders of the sport, and could have far-reaching implications for the future of cricket.
“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,” said the report in The Times. “This development follows discussions among players’ unions around the world about the potential implications of 12-month franchise contracts, which would be a significant step towards the football model of elite players being primarily contracted to their team and released for international duty, rather than the other way around. One source told The Times that contract offers could come as soon as the end of the year.”
There are IPL franchises with teams in the Caribbean Premier League (CPL), South Africa’s SA20, and the UAE-based International League T20. It’s not improbable that a player contracted for the full year by a franchise could turn out for all these teams.