Pat Cummins And Travis Head Turn Down ₹58 Crore Deals To Stay Loyal To Australia

Pat Cummins And Travis Head Turn Down ₹58 Crore Deals: The world of cricket is shifting rapidly. Franchise leagues around the globe are growing in power and money, drawing more attention and investment than ever before. This boom raises a serious question for traditional cricket fans: what happens to international cricket when franchises start calling the shots?

Even the sport’s biggest names aren’t immune to this change. A recent report from the Sydney Morning Herald revealed that two of Australia’s finest cricketers, Travis Head and Pat Cummins, were recently offered enormous deals to leave international cricket behind and dedicate themselves fully to franchise leagues.

Travis Head and Pat Cummins Receive Massive Franchise Offers

According to the report, both World Cup and World Test Championship winners were offered deals worth around 10 million Australian dollars a year, which equals roughly INR 58 crore annually. If they had accepted, it would have made them some of the highest-paid athletes not only in cricket but in all of Australian sport.

The offers reportedly came from a franchise ownership group that also has ties to the highly successful Indian Premier League (IPL).

Right now, both players earn between 1.5 and 3 million Australian dollars from their national team contracts. The proposed pay raise would have been massive. However, representatives for both Travis Head and Pat Cummins turned down the “informal” offer. Instead, they chose to stay loyal to their country and continue representing Australia at the highest level.

Franchise Leagues Increasing Pressure on National Boards

Both players are already key figures in franchise cricket. Pat Cummins and Travis Head currently play for Sunrisers Hyderabad in the IPL, with Cummins also serving as captain. Beyond India, they’ve also taken part in Major League Cricket (MLC) in the United States, where Head plays for Washington Freedom and Cummins represents San Francisco Unicorns.

The news about the informal offer surfaced during ongoing talks between Cricket Australia, player representatives, and executives from Big Bash League (BBL) teams. These discussions have focused on whether to privatise the BBL franchises in the near future.

Currently, BBL teams are linked to domestic state associations in Australia. But as global franchise leagues such as the IPL, SA20, ILT20, and The Hundred continue to thrive financially, Australian cricket is looking at private investment as a way to stay competitive.

More Players Choosing Franchise Cricket Over National Duty

While Pat Cummins and Travis Head have reaffirmed their commitment to Australian cricket – both in Tests and limited-overs formats – not every player has made the same decision.

In recent years, a growing number of cricketers have stepped away from representing their countries to focus on the more lucrative and flexible world of franchise T20 leagues.

Big names like Nicholas Pooran and Heinrich Klaasen have already chosen this path, prioritising league cricket even while at the peak of their careers. It’s a trend that shows no signs of slowing down and continues to raise questions about how international cricket can remain relevant in an era driven by money, schedules, and global franchise power.

The Future of Cricket’s Balance

For now, Travis Head and Pat Cummins stand firm in their commitment to the Baggy Green and the national team. But as franchise leagues grow richer and more influential, the balance between playing for your country and chasing global opportunities is becoming one of cricket’s toughest challenges.