The Kolkata Knight Riders’ decision not to retain Mitchell Starc and his $4.4 million contract could force the Australian cricket veteran to make another tough call on the IPL and his career in the lucrative T20 tournament. Starc will be 35 next year and has shown the in the past that he’s willing to sacrifice the riches on offer in the IPL and not play in the Indian tournament.

With KKR opting not to retain Starc for 2025, it could spell the end of his career in the IPL. The Australian veteran could still opt to enter the IPL auction and hope to be snapped up by another franchise, but the more likely scenario is that his days in the T20 tournament are over.

Starc only played in the IPL in 2024 because Cricket Australia saw it as valuable match practice heading into the T20 World Cup. Before that, the left-arm quick hadn’t played in the lucrative event since 2015, sacrificing around $10 million as he opted to put family and Test cricket first.

Rather than chase the mega-millions on offer in the IPL, Starc had previously opted to spend the time at home with wife Alyssa Healy. With Healy also a globetrotting international cricketer, the IPL window presented a rare chance for Starc and his wife to both be at home at the same time.

“Juggling one cricket schedule is hard enough, let alone when there’s two in a relationship,” he said late last year. “So I’ve always spent that time away from cricket with Alyssa or time with family and recharging my body for being as fit and as ready as I can for Australian cricket.

“I don’t regret any of it. I think it’s certainly helped my Test cricket. The money is always nice and certainly was this year but I’ve always prioritised international cricket and I think that’s helped my game.”

Mitchell Starc might not play IPL in 2025 anyway

Starc helped KKR win the IPL title this year and had a blinder in the final. But questions were asked about his $4.4 million contract when he struggled throughout the majority of the tournament. Considering his patchy form, it’s no real surprise the Knight Riders opted not to retain the Aussie star and his record contract.

But whether or not Starc is disappointed about it remains to be seen. It appears unlikely he would have played in 2025 anyway considering his previous penchant for skipping the tournament and no World Cup in 2025 to prepare for.

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Travis Head and Pat Cummins only Aussies retained by IPL teams

Travis Head and Pat Cummins were the only Australians retained by their franchises this week, remaining at Sunrisers Hyderabad on contracts worth $2.5m and $3.18m respectively. Head was the fourth-top run-scorer in the 2024 tournament, while Cummins took 18 wickets in 16 matches at 31.44 for runners-up Sunrisers.

Franchises are able to retain a maximum of five incumbent players. The remaining Australians who played IPL in 2024 will need to go to auction if they intend to play in 2025, with the likes of Glenn Maxwell, David Warner, Marcus Stoinis, Mitch Marsh and Tim David currently without contracts.

Royal Challengers Bengaluru were keen on retaining Cameron Green and his $3.15m contract, but the all-rounder won’t be available due to the back issue that will keep him out of the Test summer. “There was one other player we certainly would’ve retained, that’s Cameron Green. But unfortunately he’s out of IPL due to injury,” said RCB director of cricket Mo Bobat.

with AAP