The Indian Premier League is threatening two-year bans on players if they decide to skip the competition for reasons beside injury.

Australian Test captain Pat Cummins did not play in the IPL in 2023, but signed the eye-popping $3.67 million deal this year, despite his absence the year before.

With the new regulations, Cummins would be banned and the record-breaking deal non-existent.

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Now, the new rules put the target directly onto Cummins’ back.

It also means Australian teammate Mitchell Starc, who was signed on a $4.43 million deal, would be under fire all the same.

The new regulation, which was formalised by the Board of Control for Cricket in India, aims to protect the IPL’s budgets and club;s control over players.

The ruling states that, “any (international) player who registers for auction and, after getting picked at the auction, makes himself unavailable before the start of the season, will get banned from participating in the IPL/IPL auction for two seasons”

It means players like Cummins and Starc, who are bound to national duty for Australia, will be forced to make a call on where they want to play, if they want to be considered for IPL action.

The only time allowances will be made is for “an injury or medical condition”.

Further, the player’s home cricketing board will be required to confirm the setback.

It will wreak havoc on the IPL come 2027, with Australia locked in to host a 150th anniversary Test match against rivals England at the MCG in March.

The IPL runs every year from March to June, but depending on Australian cricketing commitments, which sometimes includes overseas Test matches in those months, players may ditch the league for good.