Sports
Cummins, Head reject IPL group’s $10m offers to skip national duty: report
Australian captain Pat Cummins and batter Travis Head have reportedly turned down lucrative offers worth millions from an Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise group to quit national duty and join franchise-based T20 leagues full-time.
The informal $10 million offer to each player aimed to entice the Australians into a global T20 network spanning India, the UAE, the USA, and the Caribbean, according to Australian media outlet The Sydney Morning Herald.
With the rapid growth of franchise cricket, IPL team owners have expanded their reach by acquiring stakes in leagues such as SA20, ILT20, Major League Cricket (MLC), Caribbean Premier League (CPL) and The Hundred.
These leagues now offer players multi-million-dollar contracts — often far exceeding what they earn from national boards.
Top Australian cricketers contracted by Cricket Australia (CA) reportedly earn around 1.5 million Australian dollars annually.
Cummins, as national captain, earns close to 3 million Australian dollars, while his IPL deal with Sunrisers Hyderabad adds another $3.7 million.
Head, who also represents the same franchise, earns about $1.2 million.
Despite the financial allure, both Cummins and Head remain committed to representing Australia across formats.
Head, in particular, has made it clear that he had no intention of leaving international cricket despite the temptations of franchise wealth.
During a recent interview, opener Travis Head explained that he decided to play in the Major League Cricket (MLC) to experience franchise cricket firsthand.
He said he wanted to understand the demands of playing consecutive tournaments such as the IPL, World Cup, and MLC, describing it as an opportunity to experience four months of continuous franchise cricket and learn how different systems operate.
“I played MLC to get a taste of what it would be like to play franchise cricket. I had IPL in a World Cup into MLC, so I wanted to see what it was like to basically play four months of franchise cricket. You want to have every option available to you, you want to experience things and understand how things operate,” Head said.
“A lot of people are making certain decisions around the world, and it was a perfect opportunity for me to understand that and see what it was like for whenever the time comes for what I may or may not do in the future. Whether I could do it, whether I liked it, whether I was good at it. I hadn’t played a lot of T20 cricket for a period of time, so it was about getting back into that,” he added.
The 31-year-old batter emphasised that while the experience was valuable, his primary focus remained on national duty.
“It was a perfect time in my life to do that, and now that time has moved past. Currently, I’m playing for Australia, and I don’t see a timeline where I can play anything else, really,” he concluded.
Sports
Jayson Tatum, 10 months after Achilles injury, expected to return to Celtics Friday vs Mavericks: report
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
Jayson Tatum’s return to an NBA court appears to be coming much sooner than anyone expected.
The Boston Celtics superstar could be suiting up as early as Friday, which marks nearly 10 months since he tore an Achilles against the New York Knicks in the Eastern Conference semifinals last season, per ESPN.
The Celtics will face Cooper Flagg and the Dallas Mavericks Friday at TD Garden, and Tatum is expected to be out there with his teammates for the first time since his injury.
Tatum was officially listed as questionable on the Celtics’ injury report.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM
Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum applauds from the bench in the second quarter against the Charlotte Hornets at TD Garden March 4, 2026. (Danielle Parhizkaran/The Boston Globe)
Brad Stevens, the Celtics’ president of basketball operations, noted that his star guard wouldn’t be cleared until he was definitely ready to play, both physically and mentally.
That’s especially the case considering the Celtics don’t need Tatum to rush back. They’re 41-21, which gives them the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference.
Tatum also noted he would want to return for a home game.
Boston has had players stepping up in the absence of Tatum, including his counterpart Jaylen Brown. Brown has taken on the scoring load, averaging 28.9 points per game with 7.2 rebounds and five assists.
Derrick White has added 17.3 points per game, while doing work on the defensive end with 1.2 steals.
Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum walks off the court after Game 1 of the NBA Eastern Conference semifinals against the New York Knicks at TD Garden. (Danielle Parhizkaran/The Boston Globe)
And the Celtics have had Payton Pritchard (16.8 points, 5.3 assists) and Anfernee Simons (14.2 points) helping the team every night.
The 28-year-old Tatum returning is nothing short of remarkable considering the average window for Achilles rehab is 9-12 months, and it’s usually on the later end of the timeline.
As Tatum looks to return, he was well aware of how good his team has been in his absence. He has been spotted on the bench cheering his teammates on all season, and he wants to seamlessly work his way back into the rotation.
Jayson Tatum of the Boston Celtics against the Detroit Pistons at Little Caesars Arena Jan. 19, 2026, in Detroit. (Nic Antaya/Getty Images)
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
“I’m just hyper aware of what’s going on. I think it would just stem from that,” he said, according to NBA.com. “Obviously, I know what I bring to the table and bring to the team. But I’m also aware that these guys have been playing extremely well.”
Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.
Related Article
SAO PAULO — A Brazilian sports court said on Thursday it suspended a defender of top-flight club Red Bull Bragantino for 12 matches because of sexist remarks he made about a female referee after a Sao Paulo state league game.
Defender Gustavo Marques was also fined in 30,000 Brazilian reais ($5,700) for his comments about referee Daiane Muniz after Bragantino lost 2-1 to Sao Paulo in a Feb. 21 quarterfinal of a state-level tournament.
The suspension is valid for all competitions organized by the Sao Paulo state soccer federation, but does not stop Marques from playing national-level competitions like the Brazilian league or the Brazilian Cup.
“It was our dream to reach the semifinal or even the final, but she killed our game. I think the Sao Paulo state’s soccer federation has to look at matches of this importance and not give it to a woman,” Marques had said in a post-match interview to TNT Brazil. “It is no good for us to play against Sao Paulo, Palmeiras, Corinthians, and they put a woman to referee a match of this importance.”
Later he apologized on his social media channels.
“I was nervous and I said things I shouldn’t have. I talked to Daiane, apologized to her too. She had an assistant with her, I asked her for her forgiveness too for she is also a woman. I was wrong for saying it,” the 24-year-old defender said.
“My wife criticized what I said, my mom did too. I am being a man and a human being by coming here to ask forgiveness for what I said,” he added.
Neither Marques nor Bragantino commented on the ruling. Local media reported the club fined the defender 50% of his wages this month.
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
President Donald Trump paid respects to late legendary football coach Lou Holtz Thursday after Holtz’s death Wednesday at the age of 89.
Trump shared a tribute to Holtz in a Truth Social post.
Former Notre Dame football coach Lou Holtz listens before being presented with the Presidential Medal of Freedom at the White House in Washington, D.C., Dec, 3, 2020. (Doug Mills/The New York Times/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
“The wonderful Lou Holtz passed away yesterday, so sad. Lou was an absolute WINNER both on and off the field. Not only did he spearhead Notre Dame’s HISTORIC undefeated season in 1988 (including the legendary 31-30 ‘Catholics v. Convicts’ Victory against Miami), he raised Millions upon Millions for struggling student-athletes, and the AMAZING University of Notre Dame (Go Irish!),” Trump wrote.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM
“He was also a true American Patriot, supporting me through thick and thin, and consistently speaking out against Democrat Insanity, including ‘Transgender for Everybody,’ and the Illegal Alien Invasion.
“It is for all this incredible work that I gave Lou Holtz our Nation’s Highest Civilian Honor, the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Rest in Peace, Lou. Because of Patriots like you, we have made America GREAT AGAIN! President DONALD J. TRUMP.”
Holtz was a known supporter of Trump, even saying in February 2024 that Trump needed to “coach America back to greatness!”
Near the end of Trump’s first term, shortly after former President Joe Biden defeated him in the 2020 election, Trump awarded Holtz with the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian award of the United States. Holtz, who also spoke at the 2020 Republican National Convention, was humbled by the honor.
“It’s the highest honor or award you could possibly receive, and I receive it with mixed emotions. First of all, I’m humbled,” Holtz told “Fox & Friends” afterward. “There are many more people far worthy than me, I can assure you.
“Nobody is more appreciative than me. So, I’m excited to have this opportunity and, at the same time, I’m excited to receive it from President Trump. The president I admire and respect. I think he did a tremendous job.”
At the time, Holtz also called Trump “one of the great presidents of my lifetime.”
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP
President Donald Trump presents the Presidential Medal of Freedom to former Notre Dame football coach Lou Holtz at the White House in Washington, D.C. Dec. 3, 2020. (Doug Mills/The New York Times/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
Holtz was the first coach in NCAA history to take six different football programs to bowl games, including William & Mary (1969-71), N.C. State (1972-75), Arkansas (1977-83) and South Carolina (1999-2004). The only team he wasn’t able to accomplish the feat with was Minnesota, which he led from 1984-85.
Holtz finished his coaching career with a 249-132-7 record in 388 games. He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2008.
Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.
Related Article
Cotton innovation to take centre stage at Bremen conference 2026
Asian stocks today: Kospi drops 1.6% as Middle East tensions weigh on markets – The Times of India
Nepal counts votes after key post-uprising election
What are Iran’s ballistic missile capabilities?
India Us Trade Deal: Fresh look at India-US trade deal? May be ‘rebalanced’ if circumstances change, says Piyush Goyal – The Times of India
Attock Cement’s acquisition approved | The Express Tribune
-
Business1 week ago
Attock Cement’s acquisition approved | The Express Tribune
-
Fashion1 week agoPolicy easing drives Argentina’s garment import surge in 2025
-
Politics1 week agoWhat are Iran’s ballistic missile capabilities?
-
Business7 days ago
India Us Trade Deal: Fresh look at India-US trade deal? May be ‘rebalanced’ if circumstances change, says Piyush Goyal – The Times of India
-
Politics1 week agoUS arrests ex-Air Force pilot for ‘training’ Chinese military
-
Business7 days agoGreggs to reveal trading amid pressure from cost of living and weight loss drugs
-
Sports1 week agoSri Lanka’s Shanaka says constant criticism has affected players’ mental health
-
Sports7 days agoLPGA legend shares her feelings about US women’s Olympic wins: ‘Gets me really emotional’