Photo Credit: Instagram Photo of @tommoodycricket
Former Australia cricketer Tom Moody has voiced his support for the Indian Premier League’s new rule regarding overseas players. Moody believes foreign players must fully commit to the tournament if they wish to participate.
The IPL governing council recently introduced new regulations ahead of the upcoming mega auction. Under the new rule, any overseas player must register for the preceding mini-auction in order to be eligible for the mega auction. The only exception is if a player is injured, with the injury needing to be confirmed by the player’s home board.
“Any overseas player will have to register for the big auction. In case the player does not register, then he will have to miss the subsequent small auction. The only exception will be in case of an injury/medical condition which will have to be confirmed by the (player’s) home board before the big auction,” read an IPL statement.
Tom Moody backed the rule, explaining that some overseas players have previously skipped the mega auction in favor of the mini-auction to secure a higher price. He believes the new rule will ensure players like Jasprit Bumrah are rewarded fairly for their commitment. Moody emphasized that foreign players need to be dedicated to their franchises unless injured.
“Yeah, I think it’s a very good thing (overseas players’ compulsion to be available for mega auction). We have seen for too long that players coming out for mini-auction and get a huge payday because of supply and demand forces of that particular year,” Moody said.
“You have got the likes of Jasprit Bumrah and others getting paid well underneath than what they (overseas players) are getting paid. That doesn’t sit well with me. If you are committed to the tournament, you should be committed through thick and thin. If you are injured or there is some health issue, that’s absolutely fine, that’s unavoidable. You are either in or you are not,” the former Australia all-rounder added.
Having worked with several IPL teams, Moody understands the importance of player commitment to franchises. His IPL coaching career began with Kings XI Punjab (now Punjab Kings), and he later moved to Sunrisers Hyderabad in 2013, leading them to an IPL title in 2016.
Over the years, many overseas players have taken advantage of the previous rules, making themselves available only for the mini-auctions. Players like Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins secured significant deals last season due to teams breaking the bank for specialist players.
However, with the new rule in place, foreign players must now participate in the mega auction as well. Meanwhile, IPL teams are required to submit their list of retained players by October 31.
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Name of Author: Cricexec Staff
