Great temptation: $2m Indian Premier League carrot leaves Michael Clarke in a quandary

[vvvslaxman]

http://www.foxsports.com.au/cricket/australia/great-temptation-2m-indian-premier-league-carrot-leaves-michael-clarke-in-a-quandary/story-fn2mcu3x-1226605374678#ixzz2OYyCSZ3Q Great temptation: $2m Indian Premier League carrot leaves Michael Clarke in a quandary Michael Clarke's agonising money-or-the-box moment is set to continue and we'll be back right after this ad break, sorry, scan. Senior Indian Premier League sources said over the weekend that up to $2 million could be dangled in front of the injured Australia captain to get him to lead the Pune Warriors in the tournament, which begins next week As the Aussies were locked in the most compelling battle of the four-Test series, Clarke arrived home to get a professional opinion on the state of his back and did not rule out returning for the lucrative T20 series. "I'll need to have the X-rays and listen to the experts, and then make a plan," Clarke said. "But from my point of view, I'm always pretty positive, so I think it's very unlikely I'll miss the Champions Trophy and the Ashes." Clarke was bought at auction for $400,000, but current Warriors captain Yuvraj Singh does not want to lead the franchise and the owners are keen to get the Australian to take charge, and are willing to spend big to convince him. Ricky Ponting has been bought by the Mumbai Indians and will captain that side, which also features Phil Hughes, Glenn Maxwell and Mitchell Johnson. The IPL is littered with 32 Australians while only two England Test players - Kevin Pietersen (Delhi) and Eoin Morgan (Kolkata) - are included. The majority of the Australian Test side will remain in India for the tournament (April 3 to May 26) and many will then continue on to the Champions Trophy (June) in England before the Ashes and an ODI series (June to September). Some will then play in the Champions League in September. The one-day players return to India for seven matches in October before returning for the home Ashes summer. The schedule is hectic for players such as Clarke who play one-day and Test cricket, and even more so when they choose to use their break to play the 17 matches in the IPL, not including finals. Cricket Australia gives the players leave to compete in the tournament, but in the past has quietly suggested to some they not compete. Shane Watson was told by management he should consider withdrawing from last year's tournament. If Clarke plays so soon after missing a Test through injury, it will spark controversy. The 31-year-old suffers from a degenerative condition of the lower spine which was diagnosed in his late teens. Clarke has played 92 Tests, but this is the first he has missed through injury. Leg spinner Stuart MacGill said money should not be the issue. "If he is playing cricket for money, then he is in the wrong job," said MacGill. "You want to be the captain of the Australian cricket team and run Australian cricket, or do you want to play cricket for money?" MacGill argues that players should have their pay docked for competing in the IPL. "A contract with Australian cricket should be for 12 months and there shouldn't be any carve-outs unless you carve out some of their contract," he said. "In contracts it says you are not allowed to do things that prevent you from doing your job and I think that should include playing competitive sport. "A holiday period should be rest and relaxation. In the contract, it says players are not allowed to do dangerous things, you aren't allowed to play football, go water skiing or skiing and I reckon the IPL can be like that -- especially for fast bowlers."

[deathmonger]

He'll play.

[yoda]

How did they make the jump from $400k to $2m? Don't think franchise can pay you more just cause you accept captaincy.

[coffee_rules]

Even CA gets paid if he plays..they get a cut from the 2 mil. Isn't it?

[deathmonger]

Even CA gets paid if he plays..they get a cut from the 2 mil. Isn't it?

Course. It's all bullshit. Clarke will play. We contribute 80% of cricket's revenue. No one pisses us off.

[NareshK]

He is an average T20 player anyway. I wont believe they want to pay 2 mil. Just masala news.

[Texan]

$2 mil is a lot of money. MacGill is probably just disappointed that the IPL was not around during his playing career and he couldn't cash in as a result.

[Crookbond]

Clarke out of the IPL, saved for the Ashes http://www.espncricinfo.com/australia/content/current/story/626782.html

"Michael Clarke had scans that confirmed his current lower back injury is an exacerbation of previous issues he has had with his spine," Cricket Australia Chief Medical Officer Justin Paoloni said. "As always, we need to manage this carefully as there are potentially serious consequences with further aggravation. "He still has pain with basic activities and is not back to full function as yet. He also has a hamstring injury that has been a concern for most of the summer and will complicate his return. "Michael is having intensive rehabilitation for both his back and hamstring but is still 7-10 weeks away from returning to training and playing. We are confident that it will not affect his Ashes preparation but will know more over the coming weeks."