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Australia legendary wicketkeeper-batter Adam Gilchrist has cautioned the cricketing world on the growing dominance of the Indian Premier League (IPL) franchises on global cricket cricket as he feels the 'monopolisation' by the glitzy league is 'dangerous'.
Gilchrist's statement has come in the after some reports stating the Australia's star southpaw David Warner could forgo the upcoming Big Bash League and sign up for a more lucrative United Arab Emirates T20 league.
"They can’t force David Warner to play in BBL, I understand that, but to let him then go off – or another player, let’s not single out Warner because there will be other players on the radar – it’s all part of this global dominance that these IPL franchises are starting to create given they own a number of teams in Caribbean Premier League," Gilchrist told SEN’s Whateley radio show.
"It’s getting a little bit dangerous the grip that it’s having to monopolise that ownership and the ownership of the players and their talents and where they can and can’t play," he added.
Adam Gilchrist is also afraid that the next generation may decide to quit the Australian system and play in other new leagues throughout the world, similar to how Warner did.
Interestingly, three of the IPL franchises, Mumbai Indians, Kolkata Knight Riders and Delhi Capitals, have all invested in teams in the UAE T20 league.
The three-time World Cup winner Australian suggested his country's cricket board to take cognisance of the matter as more cricketers could take Warner's path sooner than later.
"If he (Warner) rides off into the sunset and says, ‘Sorry Australian cricket, I’m going to become a gun for hire for my Indian franchise team in various tournaments’ you can’t question him on that, that’s his prerogative and he’s done everything he needs to get the profile and get that market value," Gilchrist said.
"It’s the new younger player coming in that starts to make those noises where it’ll be really challenging," he added.
Warner is allegedly leaving the BBL in large part because Cricket Australia has not lifted the leadership ban it placed on him following the “sandpaper-gate debacle” that occurred during the 2018 Test series in South Africa.
Allan Border and Greg Chappell, among other current and former greats, have called for the ban to be reversed so that Warner may coach a BBL team.
Gilchrist, who represented Australia in 96 Tests, 287 ODIs, and 13 T20Is, had earlier played for IPL franchises such as the now-defunct Deccan Charges and Kings XI Punjab, now renamed as Punjab Kings. He had led the Deccan Chargers to their maiden IPL title in 2009.
