Australia's Test captain, Pat Cummins, has urged cricket administrators to create dedicated windows for Test cricket, allowing players to participate in both formats without conflicts. He noted that franchise cricket is often more financially rewarding for some countries, unlike Australia and England, where players are made available for Test matches during specific periods.
Cummins explained in a video played at a summit hosted by the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) that franchise cricket can be more appealing and lucrative than international cricket for some nations. The summit was attended by Cricket Australia chairman Mike Baird, IPL owners, former top players, corporate leaders, and officials from around the world.
Proposal for a Test Cricket Window
Currently, the months of April and May are designated for the IPL, but there have been instances where players had to leave their franchises early due to international commitments. For example, England players had to leave before the IPL playoffs for a home series against Pakistan, ahead of the 2024 T20 World Cup. Cummins suggested a similar dedicated window for Test cricket, which would prevent players from having to choose between formats.
He remarked, "If I played franchise cricket, I could be away for a shorter period compared to playing for Australia. In Australia, Test cricket is scheduled from November to January without interference from other formats. Having specific windows for both IPL and Tests would simplify players' decisions."
Support from Jos Buttler
England's limited-overs captain, Jos Buttler, who had to miss the IPL playoffs for the series against Pakistan, also expressed his views on the scheduling. He told Sky Sports that no international cricket should clash with the IPL, emphasising that these games had been scheduled long in advance.