Australian IPL players won't get priority in returning from India, says Aussie PM Morrison

Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison has said that Aussie cricketers currently playing in the 14th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) will not be prioritised in returning from India once the cash-rich tournament is over. Morrison, during a press briefing on Tuesday, confirmed that Australians currently involved in the conduct of the IPL will not be prioritised in returning from India as theirs was a 'private' choice. In the same briefing, Australia officially confirmed the banning of all direct passenger flights from India until May 15 keeping in mind the rising COVID-19 cases in the country. This comes after Australian cricketer Chris Lynn had urged Cricket Australia to arrange for a chartered flight after the completion of the IPL 2021 season to help Aussie cricketers return home.

Several international players have pulled out from the IPL, including a few Australians, who have cited "personal reasons" for their decision to opt-out of the cash-rich league. However, it is believed that the worsening COVID-19 situation in India is the primary reason behind the players' decision to leave the tournament mid-season. Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) recruits Adam Zampa and Kane Richardson are the latest to join the list of players who have left India mid-season. Earlier, Rajasthan Royals (RR) bowler Andrew Tye and batsman Liam Livingstone left the country amidst the ongoing IPL citing personal reasons. 

Meanwhile, Australian cricketers, including David Warner, Pat Cummins, Steve Smith, Glenn Maxwell, Marcus Stoinis, Jhye Richardson have decided to stay back and complete their stint at the Indian Premier League. David Warner leads Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in the IPL, while Steve Smith, Pat Cummins, and Glenn Maxwell are key foreign players for their respective teams. Other players such as Chris Lynn, Moises Henriques, Riley Meredith, Nathan Coulter-Nile, Dan Christian, Ben Cutting, and Daniel Sams are also playing in the IPL and are facing uncertainty to return back to Australia. 

Ricky Ponting, David Hussey, Mike Hussey, Shane Bond, and several other former Australian cricketing legends, who are working with franchises in individual capacity as coaching staff members, cannot return to Australia before May 30 as the BCCI has already confirmed that the league will go on as planned despite COVID-19 crisis gripping the country. 

COVID crisis in India

India is currently witnessing the peak of the outbreak as more people are coming out positive in the ongoing second wave. India registered over 3,20,000 fresh infections in the last 24 hours, which is the sixth consecutive day of more than 3 lakh cases in the country. According to data provided by the government, over 2,700 people have died due to COVID-19 on April 26. India is running its vaccination programme since January but the sudden surge in cases has scarred the success achieved by doctors and other healthcare professionals over the past few months.

(Image Credit: IPL/BCCI)