Having joined the Indian Premier League (IPL) post-retirement, former Australian pacer Glenn McGrath now wants to explore other business opportunities there.
MELBOURNE: Having joined the Indian Premier League (IPL) post-retirement, former Australian pacer Glenn McGrath now wants to explore other business opportunities there.
Like fellow Aussie Brett Lee, McGrath realises India is the biggest market for cricketer and the pacer has no qualms in admitting that IPL would give him the opportunity to look at those options.
"I'm keen to be involved in it and whether that's playing or whatever, we'll see what happens," McGrath was quoted as saying by an Australian Associated Press report.
"The Indian market is a big market for cricketers and ex-cricketers. We were going to spend a bit of time over there anyway.
"I was keen to go back and not have to play cricket. Everywhere we've been we have always had to play cricket and you don't get a chance to get out and really make the most of the country," he said.
In India, McGrath also sees a potential market for many of the Aussie state players who can join franchises of their choice.
"Theoretically you could have Ricky Ponting playing for Mumbai against Sachin Tendulkar playing for New South Wales," he said.
McGrath may have taken the Twenty20 plunge but the former Australian spearhead made it clear that he does not want the slam-bang format to overshadow other versions of the games.
"Hopefully there is room for all three forms of the game but we'll wait and see. Hopefully the cricketers will continue playing Test cricket and one-day cricket."
McGrath has already resumed light training to join the IPL and predicted the format would prove a hit with the crowd in India.
"I think in India anything to do with cricket is going to be successful. The effect it will have on Test cricket or one-day cricket, hopefully it won't be negative."
A traditionalist at heart, the 'Pigeon' hoped Twenty20 would have a positive influence on the game.
"It has got the potential in the same way one-day cricket has been to Test cricket, run-rates are a lot higher.
"But I guess it also has the potential if it gets too big and starts going to markets like the US and Europe and other places, I would hate to see it take the spot of Test cricket and one-day cricket."
The lanky pacer, who won his third World Cup in April before quitting the game, said he was looking forward for fun.
"To have players like myself and Shane Warne and Stephen Fleming, it's more of an ambassador role to give it a bit more credibility.
"People coming to watch the game are probably not your mainstream cricket fans so it's bringing more people to the game which is great."
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