Mega Rs 58 Crore T20 offer to quit Australia Cricket! Cummins and Head respond

Top Australian cricketers Pat Cummins and Travis Head have reportedly turned down eye-popping offers exceeding $10 million (around Rs 58.24 crore) per year to play franchise cricket globally, choosing instead to remain fully committed to Australia across all formats. The news comes via a report by The Age, highlighting their dedication to national duty despite the lure of T20 riches.

Both players, who also feature for Sunrisers Hyderabad in the IPL, have avoided other T20 leagues apart from the IPL. While last year they briefly participated in the USA’s Major League Cricket (MLC) after the T20 World Cup, Head described it as a chance “to get a taste of what it would be like to play four months of franchise cricket.”

Staying Loyal to National Duty

Head elaborated that the MLC stint was an opportunity to experience franchise cricket operations, helping him understand the lifestyle and structure for potential future decisions. He noted the importance of keeping options open and gaining insights without compromising his commitment to Australia.

Both Cummins and Head earn substantial salaries under Cricket Australia contracts, with top players like Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, and Head earning around $1.5 million (Rs 8.7 crore) annually. Cummins, as captain, nearly doubles that with his additional stipend. Despite the financial temptation, the duo remains focused on representing their country, rejecting offers designed to make them T20 freelancers year-round.

The Global Franchise Craze

In recent years, high-profile cricketers like Jofra Archer, Nicholas Pooran, and Heinrich Klaasen have opted to leave international cricket for lucrative T20 deals. Archer was offered a similar package by Mumbai Indians to participate in multiple global leagues including MLC, ILT20, and SA20. Pooran and Klaasen, lacking Big Three team contracts, transitioned to T20 freelancing in their late twenties and early thirties.

By contrast, Cummins and Head are sending a strong message: loyalty to the national team still comes before franchise fame and fortune. Their decision underscores a rare combination of patriotism and professionalism in the modern era of global cricket.