Flintoff is also the head coach of the England Lions development side and his results at the Superchargers alongside England white-ball captain Harry Brook – his first full-time first-team coaching position – have been impressive.

The Headingley-based franchise finished bottom of the standings in the year before he took over and sixth and fifth in the two seasons prior.

A coach of his stature – he played 79 Tests for England and was part of the 2005 Ashes win – has also been a boost to the tournament.

Flintoff, who has also been tipped a future England head coach, was regularly the most popular request for fans hunting autographs and pictures after matches in Leeds.

“We’ve seen the Hundred change now,” said Flintoff. “We’ve got new owners, and I spoke to them when they phoned up. They said they wanted us to do it, so I said: ‘Yeah, fine. Make us an offer.’

“I’m not going to do it, which is sad. The past two years, I felt we were building somewhere really nice, and I’d have loved to have seen it through.”

Yorkshire were the only county to sell their entire stake in their Hundred franchise during the process earlier this year.

India-based media company Sun Group, owners of Indian Premier League side Sunrisers Hyderabad, have paid just over £100m. They also own Sunrisers Eastern Cape in South Africa’s SA20.

With different IPL owners investing in four Hundred teams – the Superchargers, Oval Invincibles, Southern Brave and Manchester Originals – it is expected there will be some continuity of kits, team names, players and possibly coaches with owners’ other teams.

Former New Zealand international Daniel Vettori is Sunrisers Hyderabad coach but is currently in charge of Birmingham Phoenix.

Trent Rockets are currently without a head coach after Andy Flower moved to London Spirit in a deal announced last week.