Cricket Australia has reportedly offered Test and ODI captain Pat Cummins a bumper deal to keep him prioritizing national duty after an IPL franchise tried to lure him away and make him a full-time T20 freelancer.
To keep him from getting such offers, CA has offered Cummins, who won the 2023 World Test Championship and ICC World Cup for Australia, a staggering $12 million deal to keep him committed to national duty.
The contract guarantees that Cummins would prioritize Australia, particularly Test cricket, until 2029, according to a story in the Sydney Morning Herald. According to reports, the proposed extension is worth $4 million a year for three years.
According to the source, Marnus Labuschagne and Travis Head are also negotiating a similar contract.
Asked whether Australia’s top players deserved greater remuneration and long-term security, CA’s head of cricket, James Allsopp, told the publication: “Absolutely. They’ve earned the right; they’ve been long-term performers for Australia across formats for a long period of time. There’s only so far you can take them under the current constraints. That’s definitely a priority at the moment.”
This report comes ahead of a blockbuster schedule for Australia that includes 21 Tests over the upcoming 12 months.
After playing in just one of Australia's five Test matches during the 2025–26 Ashes series at home while recuperating from a back ailment, Cummins is anticipated to make a significant comeback to the format as captain. Additionally, he missed Sunrisers Hyderabad's first half of the 2026 IPL and the T20 World Cup.
The Sydney Morning Herald was the one who reported that an unnamed IPL franchise had approached Pat Cummins and Travis Head with a huge USA 10-million offer to become full-time franchise players and leave international cricket. Both reportedly rejected the proposal. Jofra Archer was also said to have received a similar offer.
If CA finalizes the deal, it could effectively rule Cummins out of future appearances in the Big Bash League.
Cummins and Head are currently playing in the IPL 2026 for Sunrisers Hyderabad and have played a big role in SRH reaching the top spot in the points table after 11 matches.
(Sydney Morning Herald report)
