Pat Cummins has reportedly been offered a blockbuster new contract by Cricket Australia
that could earn him close to 12 million Australian dollars (around Rs 66 crore) over three years, as the board moves to protect its stars from the growing influence of franchise cricket and the Indian Premier League.
According to The Age, the proposed extension would keep Cummins tied to Australian cricket until 2029 and lift his yearly earnings to nearly 4 million Australian dollars (around Rs 22 crore), making him one of the highest-paid players in the game.
The deal is expected to increase the Australian captain’s annual salary by roughly 1 million Australian dollars ahead of a demanding schedule that could feature 21 Test matches in just 12 months.
Cummins, who leads Sunrisers Hyderabad in the IPL, was retained for Rs 18 crore before the current season.
The report further claimed that Travis Head, Marnus Labuschagne and Cameron Green are also in line for improved contracts.
Under the current memorandum of understanding, the average men’s central contract in Australia is worth slightly over 1 million Australian dollars annually before match fees and superannuation. Cummins’ new agreement is also expected to include more guaranteed earnings irrespective of workload.
By the time the contract ends in 2029, Cummins will be 36.
Cricket Australia’s head of cricket James Allsopp acknowledged the growing financial pressure posed by franchise leagues, especially for players capable of succeeding across all formats.
“It is a really tricky balancing act. One thing we do know is that the market pressure is coming at the players who drive the most commercial value,” Allsopp said.
“Your multi-format players like Pat, Josh [Hazlewood] and Trav, there’s a lot of demand for those players. So ensuring they remain committed to Australian cricket is a really big priority.”
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