An IPL without Australia's crème de la crème - is it possible?
It is simply impossible to imagine an IPL without Australians. Formidable since its inception, they have been the mainstays behind successful campaigns of various teams.
However, Cricket Australia seems to be thinking on new lines. The board has allegedly attempted to lure its cricketers away from the IPL by offering them lucrative, multi-year contracts.
Reports suggest that Australia's Test skipper Steve Smith, vice-captain David Warner and pacers Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins and Josh Hazelwood were personally contacted and informed about proposed three-year contracts instead of their usual one-year deal.
But the condition they have put forward for the cricketers to benefit from this deal is that they should not participate in the lucrative Indian Premier League.
It is also rumoured that these cricketers were not very welcoming to this idea proposed by Pat Howard, CA's executive general manager, as all it provided for them in exchange for missing out on the IPL was three-year security.
With financial compensation yet to be discussed, it is highly unlikely that CA will spew as much on these players as the IPL does.
For instance, Warner and Smith, who are the captains of Sunrisers Hyderabad and Rising Pune Supergiant respectively were worth $1.07 million this year. Given the fact that some of the top Australian cricketers are involved in a pay dispute with the board regarding a new revenue model, the deal will have to be elaborately thought of.
Earlier, Warner had also warned the board by suggesting that the players would head to foreign T20 leagues if no pay deal is struck, which means the board has to rethink its strategy and consider the possibility of spending large amounts on these players in order to keep them away from these lucrative leagues.
Having said all this, there is still a possibility that the Australians will not be participating in the 11th edition of the IPL, and this would have a huge consequence on the tournament itself.
Though Cricket Australia might not gain much by doing this, the prime reason might be the fact that cricketers are more prone to injuries when they play all year round. The likes of Warner and Smith are the lynchpins of the national side and their layoffs would be a worrying prospect.
For instance, Starc decided against playing for the Royal Challengers Bangalore in the IPL this season as he wanted to focus on his rehabilitation post his recurring leg injuries. His participation in this edition of the IPL might have dented his chances of playing in the Champions Trophy in June – the Australian side needs him over any other player as the speedster could be a lethal weapon in English conditions. This might be their strongest concern.
A number of IPL teams have been heavily dependent on Australians, though. Warner, SRH's leading run scorer in the last couple of seasons, has been credited for single-handedly guiding his team to many wins. His impressive captaincy earned Sunrisers their maiden IPL trophy in 2016, and the team finished in the top four this year as well.
Smith, carrying his invincible form from the India-Australia series into the IPL, was nothing short of a fireball. The temperament he showed on the field would leave various franchises vying for him at the IPL auctions next year. For his contributions with the bat and his proficiency in picking out young talent in his team, Smith would be an invaluable asset for any team that picks him.
As for Maxwell, he has been the middle-order batsman KXIP have been completely dependent on. With a number of teams hoping to pick match-winning all-rounders, Maxwell will inevitably turn up the heat in the auctions next year.
The IPL has immensely helped the Australian batsmen and bowlers acclimatise to Indian conditions. Playing long seasons in India has enabled them to understand slower wickets and read spin with more ease. The Australian board would be stripping themselves of such benefits if they restrict these top players from playing in the tournament.
The IPL might also witness a steep decline in popularity as a result of this, and it might lead to a fall in interest levels among the Australians too. Given that the IPL already does not have a broadcaster in the continent, this might only rub salt into the wounds. With the absence of star names like Maxwell and Smith, the IPL enthusiasts in Australia might not follow the league as keenly as they have done up until now.
Meanwhile, former Australian skipper Michael Clarke feels that these cricketers would always prefer coming back to play in the IPL over any offers made by CA. The board, however, has neither confirmed nor debunked any such reports.
One point that is clear, though, is that the IPL will lose some of its sheen and much of its appeal without the fire and the passion that the Aussies bring along with them.