Australian cricketers want to fulfill IPL commitments, no plans to leave amid COVID: ACA

After members of two IPL 2021 contingents tested positive for COVID-19 on Monday, Australian Cricketers Association (ACA) chief executive Todd Greenberg confirmed that even with the breach in the bio-bubble, the majority of the Australian cricketers wanted to fulfill their commitments to the tournament.

The ACA chief stated that the players had gone to India with their "eyes wide open" amid the pandemic and had no intentions to quit the IPL 2021 tournament mid-way. Todd Greenberg however also added that concern was growing over plans to get them home at the end of the tournament.

Over the course of the IPL 2021 tournament, several international players such as Australia's Adam Zampa have packed up their bags and left for their home countries, fearing being held back for a long haul amid rising cases of COVID-19 in India. Several countries such as the UK, Australia, and New Zealand have restricting travel from India has only been an added concern for the players.

Cricket Australia to hire chartered flights for its players?

Amidst this, there has also been news that ACA was attempting to arrange a chartered flight to fly its players back home after the completion of the IPL 2021 tournament. "That's one of the conversations we're having with Cricket Australia at the moment about whether or not that's something that's available to us. We can also work with all the owners of the Indian Premier League franchises who are effectively contracting the players. There's certainly a conversation to be had about that," Todd Greenberg said. 

Yesterday, two members of Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) Varun Chakravarthy and Sandeep Warrier tested positive for COVID-19. Shortly after the news of CSK bowling coach Lakshmipathy Balaji tested positive. Reports have also suggested that more members of the CSK contingent have fallen prey to the virus. Their fixtures against Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) and Rajasthan Royals (RR) have been postponed. Sources have also reported that the BCCI is awaiting permission to shift the remaining matches of the league to Mumbai.