IPL 2023: Australia ODI captain Pat Cummins opts out of T20 league next season

Australia captain Pat Cummins has opted out of playing the lucrative Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023, citing a heavy international schedule. The Test and ODI skipper played the last three IPL tournaments with Kolkata Knight Riders but cut short his 2022 campaign due to a hip injury.

“I’ve made the difficult decision to miss next year’s IPL,” he said on Twitter on Tuesday (November 15). “The international schedule is packed with Tests and ODI’s for the next 12 months, so will take some rest ahead of an Ashes series and World Cup.”

I've made the difficult decision to miss next years IPL. The international schedule is packed with Tests and ODI's for the next 12 months, so will take some rest ahead of an Ashes series and World Cup. pic.twitter.com/Iu0dF73zOW — Pat Cummins (@patcummins30) November 14, 2022

Cummins had a disappointing campaign at the recent T20 World Cup 2022 on home soil, taking only three wickets from four matches at an average of 44.00 as defending champions Australia crashed out before the semi-finals. Australia’s Ashes tour of England starts in June, 2023 before India host the 50-over World Cup in October/December.

Having made his IPL debut in 2015, Cummins has played 42 games in the world’s biggest T20 league. He had taken seven wickets in five games last season at an average of 30.29 and a high economy rate of 10.69.

Pat Cummins is the second KKR player to pull out of IPL 2023 after England batter Sam Billings. Billings took to social media to announce his decision and said that he had to make a tough call and will now focus on the ‘longer format cricket’.

“Have taken the tough decision that I won’t be taking part in the next IPL @KKRidersLooking to focus on longer format cricket at the start of the English summer with @kentcricket,” Sam Billings said in a tweet.

In the next tweet of the thread, the KKR batter also thanked the franchise for the opportunity. “Thank you so much for the opportunity @kkriders! Loved every minute of it. An amazing franchise with some brilliant people. Hopefully see you again in the future,” he added.

(with Agency inputs)