Pietersen heads IPL's England wish list

Kevin Pietersen is unsurprisingly top of the list of England players targeted by the IPL, according to a report by the BBC. The next IPL auction starts on February 6, and Adam Wheatley, Pietersen's agent, said his client was "keen to play".

"Kevin has been approached by quite a few of the franchises," Wheatley said. "It's not the be-all and end-all for him. He's got a lot on his plate as England captain but he feels it would be quite useful for a number of the players to get some experience of the IPL. There are issues on scheduling and there are also issues concerning the central contract that need to be sorted out but if you look at the timetable there is a small window of availability."

England return from the Caribbean on April 3 and are not due to play again until early May when the Test series against Sri Lanka is scheduled to start. However, Cricinfo believes that tour is unlikely to happen, although replacement opponents are being sought. The second IPL season kicks off on April 10 and finishes on May 29.

The Professional Cricketers' Association (PCA) told the BBC that it expects more cricketers from England to head to India, regardless of county contracts.

"It's more than a possibility that a number of top players will go," Sean Morris, chief executive of the PCA, said. "The franchises will be after the main international players and negotiations have been going on for some time. Central contracts are being finalised as we speak, but it's safe to say that players will be approached to go and have been already."