Aussies will continue in IPL: Clarke
:Michael Clarke is sure Australian cricketers will continue to be a part of the Indian Premier League (IPL) despite reports of Cricket Australia (CA) trying to lure them to rest with multi-year contracts.
“You will continue to see Australians cricketers being a part of the IPL. They love it over here. I don’t think there is one Australian cricketer who has not had a good time when they have come and played in the IPL.
“The David Warners and Steve Smiths will be coming to the IPL,” said the former Australia captain at an event to announce the tie-up of his academy with a sports school here on Saturday.
Answering another question, Clarke said the IPL facilitates cricketers’ growth by getting them used to playing in front of big crowds. Such tournaments ready players for international cricket, he said.
Clarke said CA was always supportive of his desire to play in the IPL. “Unfortunately, injuries restricted my career in the IPL but I was fortunate to play one year for Pune Warriors back then (in 2012).”
And should the unthinkable happen, Clarke said the IPL is now big enough to absorb the shock. “The game of cricket is bigger than any individual. It has always been that and it always will be. If Sir Donald Bradman can retire and the game goes on, it doesn’t matter who comes in and goes out,” said Clarke who is in India as a commentator for IPL 10.
At another event, New Zealand Cricket’s commercial director James Wear said his country has no plans to do anything like what CA is reportedly keen on doing.
“We encourage our players to play in the IPL,” said Wear with Trent Boult, Colin de Grandhomme and Tim Southee sitting alongside.
Clarke and Wear were reacting to a report in Sydney Morning Herald earlier this week that claimed a CA official was approaching top players with multi-year contracts to keep them fresh and away from the IPL held in April-May.
The offer was reportedly made to Steve Smith, David Warner, Josh Hazelwood, Pat Cummins and Mitchell Starc.