Somerset captain will start the 2008 season for the Sabres
Justin Langer has withdrawn from the Indian Premier League (IPL) in order to fulfil his commitments with Somerset.
The former Australia opener was signed for $200,000 (£102,000) to play alongside leg-spinner Shane Warne and South Africa captain Graeme Smith for Jaipur.
But the IPL is scheduled for mid-April and will conflict with the new county season, which the Sabres are set to get underway against Hampshire in the Friends Provident Trophy on April 20.
Langer was named Somerset skipper last season and agreed a new one-year contract with the club at the end of the last campaign.
Having secured promotion in the LV County Championship and Natwest Pro40 last term, he has now decided to pull out of the inaugural Twenty20 tournament.
"Due to my county commitments at Somerset I am unavailable to play in the first year of the IPL," he said. "But I, like everyone else, will be fascinated to see just how big an impact this tournament has."
