Australia Test and ODI captain Pat Cummins is reportedly set to receive a long-term contract worth around USD 12 million, aimed at securing his continued availability for national duties with Test cricket remaining the top priority.
According to the Sydney Morning Herald, the fast-bowling all-rounder, who is currently featuring for Sunrisers Hyderabad in the IPL 2026, has been offered a three-year deal that would earn him about USD 4 million annually.
Earlier reports suggested that an IPL franchise had proposed a separate deal worth around AUD 10 million (approximately USD 6.6 million) for Cummins to quit international cricket for Australia and play exclusively in global T20 leagues.
Cricket Australia’s head of cricket, James Allsopp, said top Australian players deserve stronger financial security and long-term arrangements given their value and contribution.
“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,” he told the Sydney Morning Herald.
He added that managing player commitments amid rising franchise league demand is becoming increasingly difficult.
“It is a really tricky balancing act. One thing we do know is that the market pressure is coming at the players who drive the most commercial value. Your multi-format players like Pat, Josh [Hazlewood] and Trav, there's a lot of demand for those players. So ensuring they remain committed to Australian cricket is a really big priority,” he said.
The report also noted that Cummins’ proposed higher pay package would not be linked to the number of matches he plays.
Meanwhile, Cummins said his team delivered a “clinical” performance after Sunrisers Hyderabad defeated Punjab Kings by 33 runs in their IPL 2026 match on Wednesday.
SRH moved to the top of the points table at the Indian Premier League 2026 after the win at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, despite a strong unbeaten century from Punjab’s Cooper Connolly.
Cummins, who was named Player of the Match for his bowling performance, praised both the batting effort and the team’s disciplined bowling.
“I think Punjab are a really good side, they were number one coming into this. I thought the batters to get up to what we did was sensational. I think that and then to close it out, no matter what the score is, bowling second against a side like that is always tough, but I thought we were quite clinical,” he said at the post-match presentation.
#From NDTV