MELBOURNE: Altogether 13 Australian cricketers -- including Captain Ricky Ponting, retiring wicketkeeper Adam Gilchrist and pace spearhead Brett Lee -- have joined the Indian Premier League, while captain in waiting Michael Clarke decided to stay away from the venture.
What is considered a setback of sorts to the BCCI-backed IPL, apart from Clarke, three other Aussies -- left-arm paceman Mitchell Johnson, wicketkeeper Brad Haddin and veteran fast bowler Jason Gillespie -- also did not opt for the multi-million dollar event and chose to concentrate on their international careers instead.
Clarke was keen to play in the IPL in the future, but his spokesman said the timing this year made it difficult. "He's keen to play it over time, but with the amount of cricket he's got on the calendar, he just wants some time to spend with his family and friends," the spokesman said.
In the list of 13 players issued by Cricket Australia, Ponting, Gilchrist, Lee, Matthew Hayden, Michael Hussey, David Hussey, Andrew Symonds, Nathan Bracken, Cameron White and Simon Katich are the current players signed while Shane Warne, Justin Langer and Glenn McGrath are the retired trio.
"The IPL representative in Australia advised CA that these players have signed a long-form agreement with the BCCI, which will allow them to proceed to the IPL auction," a CA statement said.
The truce between CA and IPL resulted in the release of the players after the former expressed its reservations over the clash of sponsorship interests. Some stipulations over sponsorship and allowing two Aussie players for each side made CA to relent.
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