Cricket Australia is not clearing any players required for those games to travel to India until April 6, a day after the final match, while those involved in the Sheffield Shield final can leave on April 4.

“We do see the IPL as a really good development opportunity when it fits, but there’s obviously a huge amount of cricket with a series [in Sri Lanka] planned for immediately post the IPL as well,” selection chair George Bailey said this week.

“So it will be about working with the individuals to ensure they’re getting the preparation they need, but we certainly won’t be releasing players to the IPL while Australia are playing.”

There are 47 Australian players who will go under the hammer at the IPL mega auction in Bengaluru this weekend. With two new franchises and an extra $940,000 in the purse for each team, the two-day extravaganza is shaping as a windfall for the world’s best white-ball players.

Glenn Maxwell is the only Australian player to be retained by his franchise, kept by the glamorous but underachieving Royal Challengers Bangalore for $2 million. He has been granted leave from the Pakistan tour for his wedding, which has been postponed several times due to COVID.

All-rounder Mitchell Marsh is another Australian likely to attract interest from numerous sides after hot form for club and country last year.

Ricky Ponting (Delhi Capitals) and Tom Moody (Sunrisers Hyderabad) are the only two Australian head coaches this year, with Simon Katich and Trevor Bayliss both leaving their posts with the Royal Challengers Bangalore and Sunrisers Hyderabad respectively.

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