England cricketers, Jofra Archer and Alex Hales are in negotiations to secure a year-round, multi-million-pound deal with Mumbai Indians in the Indian Premier League (IPL).
If these cricketers sign contracts, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) will need to obtain permission from the franchise for them to play for the England cricket team.
Archer recently withdrew from the ongoing IPL to undergo treatment for an elbow injury in the hope of recovering in time for the upcoming Ashes series.
However, the Rohit Sharma-led Mumbai Indians are reportedly frustrated by the availability of the 28-year-old pacer and are keen to have more control over his schedule.
The move is part of the plan of the franchise to establish an elite group of full-time players across their T20 teams in South Africa, the UAE, and Major League Cricket.
Earlier this month, it was reported that IPL franchises had approached players from different countries to sign contracts that would permit them to play in multiple leagues.
As per the sources, six English players were approached by franchises to discuss a deal that would make the franchise, rather than the board or county, their primary employer.
It was reported last week that the ECB is considering offering multi-year contracts to England players to counteract the threat posed by the wealth of franchises in IPL.
