Mark Ramprakash has become the second English cricketer to turn down an approach to play in the Indian Premier League (IPL), which starts in Bangalore this afternoon.

Surrey, whose long-serving batsman, Alistair Brown, also rejected an offer, were sounded out last week by the Jaipur-based franchise, Rajasthan Royals, and asked to release Ramprakash for a two-week stint as substitute for Graeme Smith, the South Africa captain, who has withdrawn until later in the tournament.

Surrey spoke to Ramprakash before refusing the approach, but made it clear that they would not stand in his way in future. Still one of the most glamorous cricketers in the world despite his long absence from the international game, it is a safe bet that he will become one of the first to follow Dimitri Mascarenhas, the only England-based player to join the gravy train so far.

By a distance the most prolific batsman in English cricket over the past two years, Ramprakash has also been highly effective for Surrey in Twenty20 cricket. At 38 he is still fit and the late call from Jaipur proves his value, despite being ignored by the England selectors after 52 Tests in which his intense approach led to an unworthy average of 27.

Ramprakash is on a six-figure contract with Surrey that extends to the end of next season, but Paul Sheldon, the chief executive and a Twenty20 enthusiast, has told his star batsman that he can go to India if a further offer comes. “There are bound to be other approaches and not just to Mark,” he said. “We are looking at the possibility of 12-month contracts but we don't want to prevent any of our players from extending their earnings out of season provided that offers come from officially sanctioned leagues and the dates do not conflict with commitments to Surrey.

“We have to be open-minded. We are hoping that the IPL might take place in future in March or October, in which case the opportunities would obviously increase.” That may be wishful thinking. The IPL has already announced dates for the 2009 tournament, which is scheduled to run from March until late May.