Pat Cummins warns players choosing Test cricket over franchise competitions ‘not going to be the case forever’

Australia captain Pat Cummins has issued a warning over the future of Test cricket, saying the next generation of players may be lured away by huge pay packets on offer around the franchise circuit. As discussions around the potential privatisation of Big Bash League clubs rumble on between Cricket Australia and the State associations, Cummins pointed to August’s two-Test series against Bangladesh as an example of the growing tension between international cricket and Twenty20 leagues. The Tests in northern Australia will run concurrently with England’s The Hundred, which has bolstered player salaries after raising more than £500 million through selling stakes to outside investors last year. As Australia’s nationally contracted Test stars such as Cummins, Travis Head and Cam Green take on the low-key Bangladesh assignment, white-ball specialists Tim David (approximately $675,000) and Mitch Marsh ($375,000) will fulfil huge contracts in the 26-day white-ball competition. Cummins said the current group loved Test cricket, but the decision was not a no-brainer. “The interesting point is, big Ashes series, all the main guys want to play that series,” Cummins told the Business of Sport podcast. “During The Hundred this season, we’ve got two Test matches against Bangladesh. All our guys who will play in that Test (series) have opted out of going into the Hundred auction, but that’s not going to be the case forever. “Some of our guys are saying no to half a million pounds for 20 days’ work to go and play those two Test matches against Bangladesh, so I think it is a tension point. “This is the essence — our guys are so keen to play for Australia that they’re happy to forgo that, but I don’t think we can just accept that’s always going to be the case forever.” Current ICC rules dictate players must receive a no-objection certificate from their home board to participate in an overseas T20 league. Earlier this month, CA boss Todd Greenberg said the impacts of turning private investors away from the BBL may be just as consequential as selling stakes in clubs. “We need to have an eye to the future and we all know the global market is changing,” he told The Age. “Whether we can go against the global trend of privatised domestic leagues and continue to grow our Big Bash Leagues is an open question.”