A survey of international cricketers has revealed more than half would consider retiring at elite level to play in the lucrative Indian Premier League.

The Federation of International Cricketers' Associations, the umbrella organisation for professional players' unions, have questioned top players on a number of issues in the game.

Chief among them is the rise of Twenty20 cricket and particularly the IPL, which offers financial rewards dwarfing those available in other forms of the game.

All players who responded see the IPL as an attractive option with 86% feeling the same about the rebel Indian Cricket League competition.

Retiring from international cricket to play exclusively in the IPL is something that would be considered by 52% of respondents.

Almost all, 95%, believe a window needs to be found in the international calendar for such domestic competitions.

FICA chief executive Tim May said: "The players and FICA feel very strongly that to preserve a healthy balance between 'club/franchise cricket' and international cricket, that the ICC needs to create a window in its international programming, or risk losing players permanently from the international cricket scene.

"Without such window, the international cricket product will be weakened and the possibility will then arise of the international product being a declining product in cricket's future landscape.

"That is a situation that we obviously want to avoid."

FICA's study follows a similar one by the Professional Cricketers' Association in which around half of England players said they would consider premature retirement to play IPL.

Despite the attractiveness of Twenty20, the FICA's results however also show that 86% still regard Test cricket as the most important form of the game. The World Cup is the top priority for 10%.

Responses to the survey were received from 64 of 105 players. Players from non-FICA members India, Pakistan and Zimbabwe were not questioned.

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