You can lose money going to the Indian Premier League, would you believe.
Former Australian spinner Steve O’Keefe has recounted the hilarious story of how he somehow lost money during his foray into the lucrative IPL.
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In 2012, O’Keefe went to India to play for the Kochi Tuskers Kerala, which was one of two new teams added to the IPL along with the Pune Warriors India.
But speaking on Triple M’s Willow Talk, O’Keefe recalled he didn’t play a single game for Kochi in 2011 before the franchise was terminated later that year.
“I’ll tell you my IPL story,” O’Keefe said.
“I actually went over to the IPL and lost money.
“In 2012, went over with the Kochi Tuskers on the hefty sum of US$20,000 (A$28,000) — didn’t play a game.
“The team folded after the first season and I only got paid 30 per cent of my cash, which was $6,000.
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“My room bill was $7,500 because I decided to tip the bar on the last night — got the zeros confused with the rupees.
“So I actually went over to the IPL and lost money. I might be the first to ever do it.”
O’Keefe’s experience is in stark contrast to that of fellow Australian players Pat Cummins and Cameron Green, who have pocketed more than A$3 million to play in the IPL in recent years.
In the 2020 IPL auction, Cummins was bought by the Kolkata Knight Riders for A$3million.
In December, Green was picked up by the Mumbai Indians for 17.50 crore (A$3.15 million), making him Australia’s highest-paid player to ever be bought by an Indian team.
O’Keefe produced match figures of 12/70 in Pune during Australia’s last Test tour of India in 2017, but selectors have opted for Todd Murphy as the back-up spinning option for Nathan Lyon for next month’s tour.
O’Keefe is still plying his trade as a left arm orthodox spinner for the Sydney Sixers, with whom he has won two Big Bash League titles.
The Sixers are second on the BBL ladder behind the Perth Scorchers and the two title favourites will face off at the SCG on Sunday night.
It will be Steve Smith’s first game in magenta for several years as the gun batter and several Australian Test players return to BBL duties following the Test summer.
