KEY POINTS:
Sometime in the next few days New Zealand Cricket will make a significant decision.
Depending on your perspective about where those New Zealand players involved in the Indian Premier League should have their priorities, you will likely view that decision as bold and authoritative, pragmatic if undesirable, or a capitulation to both players and Indian paymasters.
The relevant dates: the IPL starts on April 18, when Ross Taylor's Bangalore host Brendon McCullum's Kolkata at the Chinnaswamy Stadium. On April 27, New Zealand start their England tour against an MCC selection at Arundel.
So, where should the five New Zealanders involved in both - excluding Stephen Fleming, who will have retired by then, and Scott Styris, who walked away from test cricket a few weeks ago to pursue one-day interests - be on April 27?
NZC are to meet the players - and the five are Daniel Vettori, McCullum, Jacob Oram, Taylor and Kyle Mills - shortly to decide the appropriate course of action.
Here are three scenarios.
1: Instruct the players to be on the plane to London in time for the start of the tour.
Upside? Presenting a united front from the beginning of one of cricket's most treasured tours. Players complain about lack of preparation on most tours. Here they have the exception: four matches - okay, three first-class and one knockabout - to get ready for the first test at Lord's, starting on May 15.
Downside? Disgruntled players, miffed at missing the chance to make money in the IPL, depending on their contract between about US$40,000-US$50,000 a game. They would get a couple each, and will feel hard done by having had the green light from NZC to accept the Indian contracts.
2: Treat it on a case-by-case basis.
Upside? Be seen to be doing it the professional way, rather than applying a blanket approach. The question is, who gets to stay longer than others, and why?
Downside? A risk that those who get the early pull out of India will have a "why me and not them" reaction.
3: Let them all stay until a specific date - May 5 has frequently been mentioned out of India as a likely time to head for England.
Upside? Happy quintet, happy bank managers, happy IPL franchise owners who will feel they are getting a decent hit for their considerable dollars. If May 5 was the final playing day in India, Taylor and Mills will have had seven games; the others six, assuming they're picked for them all.
Players arrive in England in time for the last two lead-up games against Essex and England A which they'll argue is time enough to prepare for the tests.
Downside? Arriving in England with one-third of the squad absent and a group of fill-ins being recruited out of league cricket. Bad look, bad for morale.
The players' perspective, as put more than once by Vettori, is that appearances don't matter.
It is the modern young man's view in a rapidly changing cricket world. Pragmatism in this case would allow the players the best of all worlds - pick up some cash in India, then move on to what they all insist is where their heart lies, playing for their country.
NZC's difficulty is finding a happy middle ground. They won't win in the court of public opinion if they let the players arrive late in England.
One point should not even be debated. Despite his personal feelings, the skipper should step off the plane on day one of the tour.
On this, whether it is a good or bad look is irrelevant. Vettori should be leading from the front.
