‘IPL contracts kept Aussies from sledging’

New Delhi, October 3

Former India opener Virender Sehwag said on Tuesday that the Australian players were scared of sledging Virat Kohli and the other Indian players during the recently concluded ODI series due to the possibility of losing out on their lucrative Indian Premier League (IPL) contracts. Sehwag said the Aussies, who were thrashed 4-1 in the five-match series, restrained themselves from getting involved in verbal volleys because of the fear that they might not earn mega money in the IPL auctions scheduled for next year.

“They (Australian players) are scared because of the next year’s mega IPL auctions,” said Sehwag. “If they had sledged the Indian players, then the Indian franchise owners might think before making high bids for them. This can be a reason for the Aussies not sledging the Indian players,” said Sehwag .

The rivalry between India and Australia is quite intense but the Aussies appeared unusually subdued and lacking in confidence during their ODI drubbing. — IANS