Several top Australian players, including captain Ricky Po-nting and all-rounder Andrew Symonds, have been roped in by the BCCI for its new Twenty20 domestic tournament, the Indian Premier League, media reported here on Sunday.

“The BCCI has paid more than US$ 2 million to recruit an extensive list of Australia’s top cricketers — Ricky Ponting, Andrew Symonds, Brett Lee, Nathan Bracken, Michael Hussey, Adam Gilchrist, Brad Haddin, Matthew Hayden and Mitchell Johnson,” according to reports in Australian media.

Retired greats Shane Warne, Glenn McGrath and Justin Langer have also joined the IPL, while Simon Katich and Jason Gillespie have been included too.

As per the IPL format, India, Australia, South Africa and New Zealand will stage their domestic Twenty20 tournaments and the top two teams from each country will qualify for the Champions League, the final leg of the tournament.

The players will also be bought up and sold among the owners of the IPL franchises, who will pay the players to not only play, but for promotions and marketing.

The revolutionary new concept only offers players the chance to increase their incomes.