India, April 1 -- With IPL 2026 underway, national teams are preparing for a long season ahead. Once the tournament concludes, several players will have to fight for their spots in their national squads, while boards and selectors get set to make key decisions for the rest of the season.

Cricket Australia has already found itself under scrutiny this season, particularly around workload management and its perceived impact on IPL franchises. In their defence, Andrew McDonald, head coach of the Australian team, argued for a focus on long-term investment over short-term returns, signalling a shift to their upcoming challenging schedule over the next 15 months, with plenty of red-ball cricket.

The 21-man list of centrally contracted players ...