Michael Clarke's million dollar dilemma To play in the IPL, or not to play in the IPL - that is the question for Michael Clarke. MICHAEL Clarke has been warned he risks leading a burnt-out Australian team to the Ashes if the Test skipper accepts a potential $1 million deal to play in the Indian Premier League. The cash versus country debate flared again last night after Clarke headlined a list of 30 Australians nominated in an auction list released yesterday for the IPL tournament in April. Clarke and former Test leader Ricky Ponting topped the auction list with a reserve price of $400,000, and the captain's price tag could reach $1m if Indian franchises engage in a bidding war for the hottest batsman in world cricket. But there are concerns the IPL riches could ruin Australia's Ashes preparations with the 20-over showpiece staged during a contractual "leave-period" that leaves Cricket Australia powerless to stop their elite embarking on a six-week cash grab. Almost half of Australia's first XI could take part in the IPL. Dave Warner (Delhi) and Shane Watson (Rajasthan) already have Indian deals, while Clarke, wicket-keeper Matthew Wade, No.3 Phil Hughes and Ashes contender Moises Henriques were yesterday named in the IPL auction list. Meanwhile, fast-bowling trio Mitchell Johnson (Mumbai), James Pattinson (Kolkata) and Ben Hilfenhaus (Chennai) may also appear pending fitness. Should Clarke turn out in the Twenty20 extravaganza, he and his Australian IPL colleagues could have just 14 days' rest in a four-month period between the start of the Indian tour on February 18 and the beginning of the Ashes. With the 17-day Champions Trophy, starting June 6, to follow the four-Test Indian tour and the IPL, there are fears many Australian stars will enter the five-Test Ashes mentally and physically exhausted. While there were 30 Australians in the latest IPL auction list, England featured just two - keeper Matt Prior and batsman Ravi Bopara. Under the Memorandum of Understanding, CA hierarchy cannot compel Clarke and their contracted players to stand down from IPL action because the tournament is staged during the players' leave time. Former Test selector Trevor Hohns last night expressed surprise at the number of Australians considering an IPL hitout with the Ashes looming. "Our players can't afford to be over-worked going into the Ashes, we need to be right on the money in our preparation," Hohns said. I understand there is a lot of money to be made by playing IPL, but we keep talking about the rotation policy and resting blokes and guys now want to play in the IPL. They face a gruelling schedule, there's the Indian tour, the IPL, the Champions Trophy and then they have to be up for the Ashes. It is their choice, but guys like Michael Clarke and David Warner need to be fresh for a big tour like the Ashes. Australians in the 2013 IPL auction list released yesterday Michael Clarke, reserve price $400,000 Ricky Ponting, $400,000 Aaron Finch, $200,000 Matthew Wade, $200,000 Glenn Maxwell, $200,000 Doug Bollinger, $200,000 Dirk Nannes, $200,000 John Hastings, $200,000 Dan Christian, $100,000 Steve O'Keefe, $100,000 Ben Cutting, $100,000 James Faulkner, $100,000 Josh Hazlewood, $100,000 Clint McKay, $100,000 Nathan Coulter-Nile, $100,000 Moises Henriques, $100,000 James Hopes, $100,000 Nic Maddinson, $100,000 Callum Ferguson, $100,000 Phil Hughes, $100,000 Adam Voges, $100,000 Kane Richardson, $100,000 Luke Pomersbach, $50,000 Joe Burns, $50,000 Alister McDermott, $50,000 Daniel Harris, $50,000 Trent Copeland, $50,000 Ben Rohrer, $50,000 Cameron Boyce, $20,000 Ben Laughlin, $20,000