Some of Australia’s biggest cricket stars have reportedly threatened to refuse to play the Big Bash League as a possible player exodus looms after rival competitions offered to pay them a fortune.
Multiple senior Aussie players are considering jumping across to tournaments like the South African T20 competition unless the BBL can match what they’d earn overseas by paying them as much as $1million, according to the Sydney Morning Herald.
Test captain Pat Cummins is one of the players who are weighing up jumping ship to play in the SA20 competition in January 2028, according to the publication.
Cummins and several teammates have asked officials for ‘no-objection certificates’, so they can play in Africa if they can’t secure what they see as market value for their services, the report says.
Cricket Australia has declined to comment on the possibility of stars putting a huge dent in the Aussie summer of cricket by electing to play in South Africa – but the organisation is well aware of the challenges posed by overseas leagues.
‘There’s a world now, where they can jump on the franchise circuit and make a really good living away from Australian cricket,’ head of cricket James Allsopp said.
Pat Cummins (pictured playing for the Sydney Thunder in 2019) could take part in a T20 competition that rivals the BBL in 2028
Mitchell Starc (pictured) played for the Sydney Sixers last summer. He has reportedly been offered $800,000 to play in a rival limited-overs league
Josh Hazlewood (pictured left, playing in the Indian Premier League) has also been the target of a big-money offer from overseas
‘(These players can also succeed) even away from our BBL, and that’s not going to be in the best interests of Australian cricket.’
In an insight into what Cricket Australia is up against, Cummins, Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood were offered $800,000 in signing fees for England’s The Hundred limited-overs league this year.
The 2027-28 season should allow the BBL to take centre stage as lower-profile international teams Pakistan and Sri Lanka tour Australia.
Logistically, the schedule would allow Cummins and his teammates to play in the BBL.
The news comes as this summer’s Big Bash League is set to be significantly impacted by the Aussies’ bruising Test schedule.
Cummins and his team are set to travel to India in an attempt to retain the Border-Gavaskar Trophy from January to March 2027.
As a result, Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Travis Head and Alex Carey will all be unavailable to take part in the domestic competition.
The Australia Test captain hasn’t played in a BBL match since 2019.
