LONDON, Nov 22: English players hoping for an invite to next season’s Indian Premier League (IPL) will have to relinquish their central contracts if they want to play a full part in the cash-rich cricket event.

Hugh Morris, Managing Director of the England team, revealed the England and Wales Cricket Board’s (ECB) Test and one-day programme would not be altered to accommodate the players wanting to spend more than two weeks at the IPL.

“We will be playing Test matches in early part of May and clearly that will have an impact on amount of time that players may or may not go to the IPL,” Morris was quoted as saying by the Daily Telegraph.

“My understanding is that the International Cricket Council (ICC), IPL and the ECB have made it very clear from the word go that international cricket takes precedence over domestic tournaments and I think that will be the case. That’s a very clear message we get from the ICC. I understand that is what the IPL think as well,” Morris added.

To play in the IPL, players need No Objection Certificates from their respective boards. Mindful of the hectic international itinerary, the ECB had said they would leave decision over them to coach Peter Moores.—Agencies