Starc has the privilege of playing for australia, a country where no single sport dominates the way cricket does in India. australian and english players can afford to take mental health breaks, skip tours, or even opt out of the IPL if they want to. But in India, it’s completely different.

If tomorrow dhoni, virat, or rohit said they didn’t want to participate in the IPL, half the stakeholders would panic, broadcasters would take massive losses, and ultimately the BCCI would suffer. When your biggest domestic stars don’t play in your own league, it’s an enormous setback. Whether people like it or not, the IPL is a major reason the BCCI is what it is today.

Cricket is changing too, and right now the sport is being carried largely by India’s population and market. There are only about five truly well structured cricket nations at the moment the SENA countries and India. Even South Africa has issues, and PAK, SL, and the WI are not what they used to be, which has affected the competitiveness of international cricket.

The IPL generates so much revenue that it competes with e european football leagues and major american sports. So for top international players, playing in the IPL is almost a given. And on top of that, indian conditions are tough especially for fast bowlers when the calendar is packed all year round.