Australian players were the most sought-after at the IPL auction despite the franchises being aware they would not be available for the full complement of matches. Leave alone the current players, even the retired guys like Shane Warne, Adam Gilchrist and Glenn McGrath were picked up with great delight by the bidders.
The franchises and the spectators have been rather lucky the Australian players have made an appearance in the early part of the league. They could turn up here only because their tour to Pakistan was put off because of the terror situation following the assassination of Benazir Bhutto. The teams have made the most of their availability and the players too have lived up to the reputation. They have made a huge impact on the IPL in the limited opportunity they have had.
But things will change here on and the teams will have to rework strategies and rethink options, because the Australian Test players will return home on May 1 to attend a five-day preparatory camp from May 5 ahead of the tour of West Indies. Luckily, the players who are part of only the Aussie One-day squad, like Shaun Marsh of Team Mohali and Shane Watson of Jaipur, will stick around till the end of the league as the ODI series starts from June 20, following the three-match Test series. The IPL concludes on June 1 with the final in Mumbai.
So, how many Australian players, most of whom have hogged the limelight in the initial stages, are presently with each of the teams? Cricket Australia had put a restriction of signing up only two centrally contracted players per each of the eight IPL teams. That should have restricted the number to 16. But Team Mohali have as many as five Australians in their ranks.
So how did they manage that? They signed up two centrally contracted players in Brett Lee and James Hopes. Simon Katich has been give a central contract only last week. However, as he has also been included in the Test team, he is required to quit the league and attend the camp. Hopes is only in the ODI squad and so will stick around till the end of the league. Team Mohali, to cover up for the departure of Lee and Katich, have roped in the up-and-coming duo of Shaun Marsh and Luke Pommersbach. They may be unknown names for Indian fans but are players with great potential. Marsh, son of former Australian wicket-keeper Rodney, has just been given a central contract and has been included in the ODI squad for the series against West Indies.
The influence of the Australian players on the IPL has been much in evidence. The Jaipur Shanes, Warne and Watson, are the perfect example: the two have inspired the cheapest team in terms of money spent at the auction and lifted the young guns to surprising heights.
Even Michael Hussey, who was not the favourite at the auction and was picked up by Team Chennai in subsequent rounds, surprised not only the cricket-followers but even himself but hammering a superb century at Mohali off just 50 balls, with fours and sixes flowing from his bat. Known to be a grafter and a nudger, he surpassed himself to give Chennai a rousing start.
Subsequently, Andrew Symonds (Hyderabad), Lee and Katich (Mohali), Matthew Hayden (Chennai), Adam Gilchrist (Hyderabad), David Hussey (Kolkata) and Glen McGrath (Delhi) have shone brightly for their respective teams and given match-winning performances. Ironically, the only team which has not opted to rope in Aussie stars is languishing at the bottom, losing all four matches. Mumbai have two unknown Aussies, Luke Ronchi and Domenic Thornely in their ranks, and they have not made worthwhile contribution. Is there a lesson for other teams in this?
Soon, most of the Aussie players will quit the league for national duties. How the teams will cope with their absence will be crucial when the league enters the next phase, with squads fighting for the semi-final berths.
