Cox feels that players should be putting their country ahead of lucrative contracts

Former Australia national selector Jamie Cox has called on players who are fatigued and exhausted to skip the Indian Premier League (IPL) instead of international duty.

“The crux of the issue is that blokes get six weeks off a year under the (players’ association) Memorandum of Understanding and some of them choose to use that time to play T20 cricket,” Cox told The Herald Sun. “If we are really serious it’s how do we co-exist with T20 cricket? Some have made the sacrifice. Mitchell Johnson has done that, Michael Clarke, Ricky Ponting have foregone IPL contracts in the national interest and not cashed in on the riches but that is a big call to make.”

Cox also slammed Cricket Australia’s rotation policy, stating that he agreed with former players like Shane Warne, Allan Border and Brett Lee that it allows average players to get a national call-up just so that a star player can rest on the sidelines.

“I know what AB [Border] and Binga [Lee] are saying and that is the view and reckon that is probably the view I take as well,” Cox said. “I didn’t get to play for Australia and don’t like the fact that some blokes seem to be getting games a bit easily.  It irks me as well but having sat in the chair I know it is more complicated than just pick the best team.”