NEW DELHI: Australian wicketkeeper-batter Josh Inglis has landed in the spotlight after being snapped up by Lucknow Super Giants for a hefty sum at the IPL auction, with concerns emerging over his availability for the upcoming season.

Inglis, who was released by Punjab Kings despite the franchise's interest in retaining him, had been flagged as a limited-availability player ahead of the auction. The BCCI had informed all 10 franchises that the 30-year-old would be available for only four matches in IPL 2026 due to personal commitments, including his wedding.

IPL 2026 LSG squad: Full Lucknow Super Giants players list after mini auction

Hefty bid raises eyebrows

However, following the aggressive bidding war between Lucknow Super Giants and Sunrisers Hyderabad - which ended with LSG securing Inglis for Rs 8.6 crore - there is growing unease within the BCCI and the IPL Governing Council.

Officials are keeping a close watch amid indications that Inglis could potentially adjust his personal schedule to extend his availability for the tournament.

The situation has also raised eyebrows at Punjab Kings, who had opted to part ways with the Australian despite valuing his skill set, largely because of the earlier clarity on his limited participation.

Inglis' new contract with LSG is significantly higher than his previous deal with Punjab, fetching him Rs 6 crore more than before, and the unfolding developments could have wider implications for how availability disclosures are handled in future auctions.

Did Inglis take advantage of the situation?

The entire episode has ignited a discussion on whether Inglis took advantage of the situation, and the BCCI and the GC might have to take a look at it.

"The communication was clear (about Inglis' availability for IPL 2026), but we need to check whether anything has changed about his personal plans, or whether those teams knew about his personal plans much more than others," a source close to the developments told PTI.

However, he said Punjab Kings are yet to raise an official complaint.

Wedding schedule and potential clash with IPL

Inglis was scheduled to get married on April 18, followed by a honeymoon holiday, which would have seen him missing a large part of the IPL 2026, which begins on March 26.

Both Lucknow and Sunrisers have a heavy Australian presence in their dugout.

The LSG have Justin Langer and Tom Moody as coach and director, while SRH is led by current Australian skipper Pat Cummins.

Even Daniel Vettori, the SRH head coach, has been working as the assistant coach of the Australian men's team since 2022.

However, the teams concerned were not forthcoming with a reaction.

"He was going to be out for personal reasons but that's always subject to change. You never know people can make different decisions once the auction is done. So, we thought that with the relationship Dan and him have, he could maybe convince him to play a few extra games," SRH bowling coach Varun Aaron had said after the auction.

However, Inglis indicated that he got to know about his new IPL contract much after the auction had concluded.

"I don't have full availability this year (IPL 2026). I'm getting married in early April. So, I didn't really expect to go. So, I sort of saw my name go by unsold.

"I was like 'alright stuff this, I'm going to bed' and I need to switch on for tomorrow (Ashes) and then woke up to the news. I didn't know until I'd seen a few messages this morning," Inglis told ABC Sport after the second day of the ongoing third Ashes Test against England at Adelaide.

Inglis was used in the disruptor's role in IPL 2025, making 278 runs in 11 matches at a strike-rate of 163.

He made 73 off 42 balls against Mumbai Indians and then a 38 off 21 balls in Qualifier 2 to help PBKS reach the final.

(With PTI Inputs)