Australian cricket captain Michael Clarke and predecessor Steve Waugh Thursday urged rising teenage pace star Pat Cummins to prioritise Test cricket over the lucrative Indian Premier League. Cummins, 18, who is sidelined for at least six weeks with a bone stress heel injury, wants to play in the IPL, but there are concerns the youngster may overtax his body at a crucial stage of his physical development. The youngster’s manager Neil Maxwell has confirmed Cummins intends to nominate for the lucrative IPL auction ahead of next April’s tournament. But Clarke said he wants his Test players to “prioritise” representing their country ahead of the IPL and Champions League tournaments.
“The one thing I love about IPL is that every individual has the opportunity of making their own choice,” Clarke told reporters ahead of Australia’s second Test against New Zealand in Hobart. “But I think a player needs to work out where his body is at and then make that decision at the time of going into the IPL. “There’s a lot of cricket and I just don’t want to see players not prioritising international cricket. “Every player who plays for Australia, that is first and foremost and Test cricket being the pinnacle of that. Then if your body can handle you playing IPL or Champions League then that’s up to the individual.”
