ESSEX may have to start their season without four star names if the Indian Premier League franchises select the talented quartet of Ravinder Bopara, Graham Napier, James Foster and Danish Kaneria.

Essex followers had accepted that Bopara and his Essex colleague and fellow all-rounder Napier would miss the opening weeks of the English domestic season because of their predicted involvement with the IPL.

But there was further consternation when it was revealed that the talents of Foster and Kaneria are also up for grabs when the IPL bidding process takes place in Goa at the end of the week.

Bopara has an England contract that restricts him to a three-week spell in the IPL but Napier — who is set to link-up with Mumbai Indians — could miss the opening seven weeks of the English season if that team reach the final.

Foster and Kaneria could also be absent for a lengthy period should they tie up an arrangement to play for a successful IPL outfit.

The IPL season consists of 14 league matches plus semi-final and then the final, with players paid according to the number of matches they play.

And the potential absence of four of their leading players at the commencement of the English season will impact severely on Essex hopes of laying the foundations for a successful season in the championship and Friends Provident Trophy.

Essex and England player Bopara admits that winning a place in the IPL is a major target. “I’ve had some success with England and I’ve had success with Essex so playing in the IPL would be the next big thing for me,” Bopara said.

“Everybody wants to be involved in it — fans and players alike — so that would be my next goal. I’d love to be snapped up by a franchise and play alongside all the greatest cricketers in the world.”

Bopara was guarded though about his chances of achieving a place when the auction for team slots commences.

“Honestly speaking, I’m not sure if I will be there — because it’s auction-based — but I hope I will be,” he admitted.

“If one of the franchises snaps me up then away I go, playing in this massive competition that everybody is interested in all over the world.

“But I would want to go there and do something special. I don’t just want to go out there and play — there are loads of players going out there to do that.

“I want to go out there and make a difference for the team that I play for by hitting a couple of match-winning innings or doing something crucial with the bat or ball in a tight game to make my team win.”

The 23-year-old admitted there is one player that he would love to play alongside in his dream team.

“If I had to pick one player to play with it would be the master, Sachin Tendulkar,” he revealed. “He’s been the best batsman for years.

“For me, he’s the greatest batter who’s ever lived — he’s done it in every country against every team, in this era and the last era when Pakistan had Wasim and Waqar, West Indies had Walsh and Ambrose and all the Australian attacks he’s faced — and he’s still going.

“For me, he’d be the main man to play with but even against him — having done so already for England — would be good because it’s always nice to play against someone you admire.

“It’s been a proud moment when I’ve played against him because I’ve admired him since I was a young boy.”

Meanwhile, highly accomplished wicketkeeper James Foster, who has been ignored by the England selectors, his explained his interest in joining the IPL.

“Although it would be great to have the opportunity to be involved in such a high profile event, realistically, I do not think it likely that I will be involved this year given the number of international and highly-regarded local wicketkeepers who are already signed up by the franchises and the restriction on the number of overseas players allowed,” he said.

“I feel that I have performed well for Essex in Twenty20 cricket with both bat and gloves and the experience of the IPL would be good for me and for Essex. “Good performances would, potentially, help my chances of an England recall.

“Should something come of it I will, of course, ask Essex for their permission to play.”

Having given such loyal and effective service to the county, it is unlikely that they would stand in his way if the offer came to ply his trade amongst the world’s finest limited-overs players.