While the rule is aimed at a raft of international players, none may be more affected by it than Cummins as a fast bowler and multi-format captain of Australia.

Last year, Cummins was tied to the Kolkata Knight Riders, but withdrew from the IPL, citing a clogged schedule that also featured a Test tour of India, a World Test Championship and Ashes series in England and the ODI World Cup, also in India.

“I’ve made the difficult decision to miss next year’s IPL,” Cummins said on social media at the time. “The international schedule is packed with Tests and ODIs for the next 12 months, so will take some rest ahead of an Ashes series and World Cup.”

With the benefit of the time at home, Cummins led Australia to multiple trophies, culminating in the World Cup victory over India in Ahmedabad in November. Young all-rounder Cameron Green, meanwhile, fetched a $3.15 million pricetag but his performances tailed off as the year wore on.

Cummins was then purchased for a record $3.67 million by Sunrisers Hyderabad at the IPL auction, and took part this year with a much less cluttered assortment of international assignments. As captain, Cummins led Hyderabad to the IPL final, where they were defeated by a Kolkata team that was spearheaded by Mitchell Starc ($4.43 million) in his first IPL stint for years.

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Had Cummins skipped last year’s event under the new regulations, he would have faced a two-tournament ban. Such a sanction will be difficult to stomach given the figures involved. With their auction prices last year, Cummins and Starc each earned more money bowling two balls playing franchise cricket than for five days of hard Test match graft in a baggy green.

Numerous other Australian players have withdrawn from the IPL without being injured in recent times. Notably, Adam Zampa elected to spend time at home rather than take part for Rajasthan Royals this year, arguing that he needed a timeout amid international assignments.

“There are several reasons why the IPL wasn’t for me this year,” Zampa told the Willow Talk podcast earlier this year. “I think the most important one was the fact that it’s a World Cup year and I’m completely drained from 2023.

“I did the full IPL last year. Obviously, the World Cup was three months in India as well. So I had the best intentions of trying to play the IPL again this year.

“But once push came to shove, I felt like I just couldn’t really offer the Rajasthan Royals the best version of myself and looking forward to the World Cup, that’s what’s more important to me.”

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