Former Australia captain Michael Clarke feels there is nothing wrong in prioritising Indian Premier League (IPL) or any other franchise league over international cricket. Clarke explaination stems from the fact that since cricket is evolving, it’s also time for the players to do so if they don’t want to get replaced. While Clarke is a “country first’ guy, the 43-year-old was right on the money as he explained the reason why IPL gets precedence over national duty.
Clarke also cited the examples of top cricketers from his own country and why playing IPL is a “no-brainer” for them, even if it requires them to skip major ICC tournaments.
“It doesn’t matter if you’re Pat Cummins. If you aren’t playing well, they will find someone else. You’ve got to be at your best. Josh Hazlewood, Mitchell Marsh have both been injured but they’ve ruled him in for the IPL. These players now know that this is a major tournament. Starc has sacrificed deals over the years to represent Australia. He pulled out of the Champions Trophy, but he openly said he’s got the IPL,” Clarke said on the Beyond23 Cricket podcast.
“I grew up in an era where representing your country was the most important thing. So if you’re tired and fatigued and need a break, don’t play any tournament. We have to move with the time. You have to understand. Don’t be grumpy if an Australian cricketer getting 2-3 million dollars for 8 weeks. I’m not saying prioritise it over playing for the country. But gone are the days when you can be hard on players. How do they not take it? It’s a no-brainer,” he added.
Clarke explained why players like David Warner and Steve Smith failed to attract any bid from the teams during the auction. Australia’s 2015 World Cup-winning captain was of the opinion that a player’s past achievement has little significance if they are no longer in the scheme of things.
“I look at some of the players that have missed out, certainly from Australia’s perspective. David Warner unsold. He’s been in the IPL since it started so I think that’s a massive change and it shows. As soon as you step away from international cricket, if you’re not playing your time as an overseas player, a lot of these teams are going to look at somebody else,” Clarke highlighted.
“Steve Smith… an awesome Champions Trophy. Still a very good short format player, did well for Sydney Sixers but can’t get a look on. From Australia’s perspective, playing for your country goes a long way and also scoring runs and taking wickets for your country and the right time is something these teams are looking at,” he further explained.
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