Calcutta: Shane Warne thinks it’s time to market Twenty20 cricket and embrace the IPL.

“I think we all now know Twenty20 is here to stay. In just a week’s time a live auction will take place for about 88 players who are going to take part in the IPL competition.

“To me, it’s quite simple — it’s a very exciting time for the sport and to market the brand.

“We should all be embracing the IPL rather than trying to fight it,” he wrote in his column for Australia’s Daily Telegraph.

“From the international board’s point of view and the bosses around the world at county clubs and in domestic competitions I understand there may be issues about players missing for a certain time or a clash of sponsors.

“But here in Australia, each state has cricket sponsors that differ from our national ones, so I don’t buy that argument.

“This issue can be overcome,” he said.

“Imagine how good it would be seeing Glenn McGrath bowling to Adam Gilchrist, and M.S. Dhoni behind the stumps? Exciting, I reckon.

“I have been involved as captain of Hampshire in county cricket for the past four years and have seen Twenty20 evolve into a wonderful, entertaining form of the game …

“I have only played a couple of Twenty20games, so I am looking forward to playing the next three years.

“I really believe it’s going to be a huge success; the TV rights have already been sold for more than $1billion and it’s only going to grow,” the leg-spinner said.