As a rare gap emerged in their international schedule last year, a slew of star Australians quickly signed up for the well-heeled and much-hyped Major League Cricket – the T20 franchise tournament hoped to spur cricket’s popularity in the U.S.

The most high-profile recruit was Australia Test captain and superstar bowler Pat Cummins, who signed a four-year deal to play for San Francisco Unicorns. He subsequently played six matches last season for modest returns, but his presence added significant credibility to the fledgling tournament.

But more congested fixturing has emerged for Australia in the middle part of the year as they look to defend their World Test Championship title against South Africa in London in June before touring the Caribbean.

“Pat Cummins is unavailable to re-sign for the Unicorns in 2025 due to international commitments and workload management,” the Unicorns said in a statement. “The fast bowler has expressed his excitement to play in future Major League Cricket seasons, as his international schedule permits.”

Cummins’ Australian teammate Travis Head, the moustached World Cup hero, will also not be part of the tournament after being released by Washington Freedom. South Africans Kagiso Rabada and David Miller are also among the big names that will be missing, while Steven Smith has been retained by Freedom although his availability is doubtful given his international commitments.

There will still be considerable star power with Heinrich Klaasen, Andre Russell and Nicholas Pooran among top players set to be part of the tournament. Further overseas signings will be announced soon, MLC says.

Left-arm spinner Nosthush Kenjige, who starred for U.S. in their remarkable victory over Oman recently, will again line up for MI New York, while Unmukt Chand, Cameron Gannon and Brody Couch are among the headline American players who have been retained.

A pivotal third season looms for MLC as it starts to cement its standing in world cricket while infiltrating the saturated but lucrative American sports market. More than $100 million has been invested in the MLC by influential Indian businessmen, some of whom are ensconced in Silicon Valley.

Financial expectations were surpassed in its first season before backing up last year with the MLC going in the “right direction”.

But there will be change. MLC has a new chief executive with Johnny Grave, the respected former West Indies boss, taking over from Vijay Srinivasan, who is spearheading one of two new franchises set to come in for the 2027 season.

Infrastructure has been slow to develop which isn’t surprising given the unique dimensions of a cricket ground. MLC has primarily been played in Dallas, with its former baseball stadium in Grand Prairie becoming the hub of cricket in the U.S.

Texas is the only franchise with a home ground, with San Francisco, Washington DC, Los Angeles, Seattle and MI New York all still trying to find permanent facilities. However, there is hope that the Unicorns will be based at the iconic Coliseum in Oakland where the Athletics called home for 57 years.

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Cricket might start being played at the Coliseum as soon as this upcoming season, which will help ignite MLC starting a little earlier this year in June and without several drawcards.