In a massive development that could shock many experts and fans, star Australia players Pat Cummins and Travis Head were reportedly offered a staggering amount of $10 million each to let go of playing cricket for the Australian Cricket Team and represent a particular franchise across global T20 leagues. However, rather than falling for the bait, the report states that the two icons snubbed the lucrative offer and chose to play for country over franchise T20 cricket.
As reported by The Age, Cummins and Head were approached by a prominent IPL team with this tempting and whopping offer. The team also told the Aussie duo they would be paid $10 million every year if they quit playing cricket for their national side and made themselves available for all global T20 leagues where the franchise owns the teams.
Also Read: "Team mein kyun rakha hai?" Ajit Agarkar questioned over Rohit Sharma's ODI selection for Australia series
Had the two star players agreed to the lucrative deal, then they would have got an amount approximately INR 58.2 Crores, which is almost two time bigger as what they currently receive annually as Australian players, approximately INR 8.74 Crores, according to The Age.
Notably, Cummins and Head rejected the offer. Currently, the duo represent Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in IPL, the franchise also has teams in SA20 - Sunrisers Eastern Cape, & The Hundred - Northern Superchargers. Both players were retained by SRH ahead of the IPL 2025 mega auction. While Cummins was retained at INR 18 Crores, Head was retained at INR 14 Crores.
Also Read: Ashes 2025: Pat Cummins likely to miss opening Ashes Test, in doubt for entire series
Cummins & Head choose national duty over playing franchise T20 leagues
Notably, in a refreshing move and going against the trend, the two Aussie players chose national duties over global T20 leagues. In recent times, we have seen several players from countries like the West Indies, New Zealand, and South Africa choosing T20 leagues over national duties. Several notable names like Heinrich Klassen and Nicholas Pooran have also taken retirements to pursue playing T20 leagues. While Kane Williamson continues to be a freelancer.
Also Read: IND vs AUS: Big boost for Australia as Mitchell Starc returns for India ODIs
