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BBL franchises are weighing up whether to offer contracts to Australia's frontline bowlers as international team's batsmen appear a safer marquee option.
Big Bash League teams are weighing up whether to offer contracts to Australia's international stars as the hopes of a mass return hang in the balance.
A fractured home summer, which includes a month-long international gap between tours of India and South Africa in January and February, had shaped as an opportunity to return big names to the competition.
BBL teams were last week given their first look at the draft draw, although the release of the final schedule is still expected to be some time off.
Steve Smith is understood to be one of those players waiting on its release, with the Sydney Sixers keen to secure the former national captain's return.
Smith has not played in the Big Bash since 2014 but would be an asset on and off the field for the Sixers.
While he would likely be considered a risk-free option, the situation is far more tricky for BBL sides when it comes to Australia's trio of fast bowlers.
There is a thought from some that there is no guarantee they'll be available to play enough games, depending on if they are rested after the five-Test summer and Indian one-dayers.
Pat Cummins is off-contract at the Sydney Thunder and at this stage could go unsigned.
The right-arm quick has played just one match in the past two seasons for the Thunder, after returning to fitness and representing Australia in all three formats.
Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc haven't featured in the BBL since 2014, tied up across all three of Australia's international sides.
Starc has acted as an ambassador for the Sixers in recent seasons and the franchise could return both the quicks to the field if the schedule is friendly to the idea.
Meanwhile, David Warner has previously been linked to the Melbourne Stars but he appears far less likely than Smith to play in the competition.
The only other regular member of Australia's red and white-ball sides, Usman Khawaja, was re-signed by the Thunder until the end of the 2019-20 season two years ago.
