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Foreign players pulling themselves out in the middle of the season has become one of the major concerns for the Indian Premier League (IPL) franchises. Some franchise officials are demanding the intervention of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) in this matter, but the Board probably will not stick its nose in this issue.
Since the contract is entirely based on the agreement of a franchise and a player, the issue should be resolved by the franchise itself. IPL 2026 was one of those rare seasons where many foreign players found themselves out of the franchise without any prior notice.
How will BCCI resolve the matter?
The 2026 edition of the Indian Premier League was just days after the 2026 T20 World Cup. Some players who were part of the T20 World Cup went for a break and joined the IPL late.
Players like Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc and Mathisha Pathirana joined their respective franchises due to minor issues. Delhi Capitals was one of the worst-hit franchises in the 2026 season, as they lost the services of their key fast bowler Mitchell Starc in the first half of the competition as he was unavailable to take the field.
A few days before the start of the season, Ben Duckett, who was scheduled to open the innings for the Capitals, suddenly ruled himself out. Although the BCCI has a rule to ban certain players who choose not to play after signing the agreement, recent examples show that a ban alone will not be enough to prevent such incidents in the future.
“The team is the custodian of the players. We leave it to them and their understanding of the players. Some players decide league over national duty, and some vice versa. Unless there is an injury (two-year ban), our rules are clear,” a BCCI source told news agency PTI.
Rajasthan Royals set an example of how communication should be done
The example of England fast bowler Jofra Archer and Rajasthan Royals was the best example of what the board wanted to say. The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) wanted to bring Archer back to the national camp to keep himself fit for their upcoming matches.
But Archer decided to remain with his IPL team to play the IPL 2026 season. The Royals made this possible only through good communication. Financial reasons can also be a reason behind the players’ lack of interest in the franchise league.
The source further added, “Sure, we can explore the possibility of a hike, but we need to look holistically. Many players take huge sums for one season and are not seen in the next season. Also, many players are paid more than their contracts by some franchises. Players also get match fees (Rs 7.5 lakh per game) and additional sponsorships during tournaments.”
More number of matches will be seen in IPL
Meanwhile, the board is exploring other windows to expand the league. The league could return with a full home-away format, increasing the total number of games on the card.