Pat to skip, other Aussies doubtful
Sydney, May 30: Kolkata Knight Riders pacer Pat Cummins is set to miss the UAE-leg of the IPL and Cricket Australia needs to make a call if it is prudent to let other Australian players compete in the League and spend more time in mentally tough biobubble.
The BCCI on Saturday approved IPL’s resumption in September in the UAE. The organisers were forced to suspend the league earlier this month after multiple cases of Covid-19 were reported inside the biobubble.
“Cummins, despite a multi-million dollar IPL contract, has already said he will not return to the T20 tournament this season,” a report in the Sydney Morning Herald said.
Cricket Australia will have to factor in the workload and bio-bubble fatigue ahead of the T20 World Cup, scheduled to take place in India in OctoberNovember.
The Australian players had to serve a quarantine period upon their arrival back home via Maldives from India due to travel restrictions in the country in the wake of Covid-19 pandemic.
“CA will need to decide whether it’s in the best mental health interests of its players to spend even more time in a bio-secure bubble,” the report said.
“CA could decide the IPL will ensure players are fine-tuned for the World Cup, which could also be held in the UAE,” the report added.
ECB’s Director of Cricket Ashley Giles has already said due to a busy international schedule from June onwards, the English players are unlikely to be available for the remainder of the tournament.
Australia have a tour of West Indies scheduled from late June ahead of the T20 World Cup, followed by a Test against Afghanistan and the Ashes series.
The BCCI is trying to convince Cricket West Indies to advance the start of the Caribbean Premier League by a week or 10 days to ensure a seamless bubbleto-bubble transfer of players for the IPL’s resumption.
The CPL is scheduled to get underway from August 28 with the final to be played on September 19, while the remaining part of IPL is likely to be held from September 18 to October 10, not leaving the players with any time to settle down.