Pat Cummins opts out of IPL 2023 due to 'packed' schedule

MELBOURNE: Australia Test and ODI captain Pat Cummins has decided to skip next year's Indian Premier League (IPL) tournament and concentrate on leading his team through a "packed" schedule of international cricket.

Earlier this year Cummins was bought by the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) for Rs 7.25 crore at the IPL auction, but the right-arm fast bowler has decided to skip next year's event in favor of gaining some rest ahead of a busy period for Australian cricket.

The Australia captain took to his social media on Tuesday to announce his decision to not take part in next year's IPL. "I've made the difficult decision to miss next year's IPL. The international schedule is packed with Tests and ODI's for the next 12 months, so will take some rest ahead of an Ashes series and World Cup," Pat Cummins tweeted on Tuesday.

"Thanks so much to @KKRiders for their understanding. Such a terrific team of players and staff and I hope I can get back there ASAP," he added in another tweet. Cummins will lead Australia in the Ashes series that commences in June next year, while the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup is scheduled to take place in India in October and November.

There is also a good chance Australia will feature in next year's World Test Championship final with Cummins' team currently sitting on top of the table. The team will then fly to India to compete in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy early the following year.

It is anticipated that the outcome of that series will determine which team will finish in the top two spots and advance to the World Test Championship final.

This year's IPL saw Cummins scalp seven wickets from five games for the Knight Riders, but he also made headlines with the bat by hitting a quickfire 50 against the Mumbai Indians off just 14 deliveries. Cummins' innings saw him tie the previous mark for the tournament's quickest half-century, which was held by India opener KL Rahul.