Three Australians leave IPL in Covid-hit India
Andrew Tye, Adam Zampa and Kane Richardson have become the first Australians to leave the IPL since India’s Covid-19 crisis reached unprecedented levels.
Tye was hastily flown out of India on Sunday night after requesting a release from the Rajasthan Royals on personal grounds.
The West Australian was able to fly to Doha, before getting a connecting flight to Australia to start two weeks in quarantine.
It’s understood his decision had more to do with bubble fatigue, after having lived in hubs virtually uninterrupted since Australia’s trip to England last August. Tye has knocked back further cricket in both Pakistan and England to take a break.
Royal Challengers Bangalore yesterday announced that legspinner Zampa and paceman Richardson had been given permission to return home for personal reasons.
More than a million people have been diagnosed with the virus in India in the past three days, while Australia has restricted incoming passenger numbers.
The IPL is continuing in a Covid-safe bubble, but Australian Daniel Sams caught the virus on arrival in India.
Both Cricket Australia and the Australian Cricketers’ Association are adopting a watch-andwait approach, with both organisations in constant contact with players.
As it stands, players organise their own flights out of India given the tournament is during their holiday period.
On signing a no objection certificate (NOC) with CA to play in the tournament, players were told there would not be chartered flights home.
However, the situation has since worsened in India and CA will not leave players stranded if there is no other way to return them home.
Likewise, CA has provided support to Sams after his positive test despite the tournament not falling under its umbrella.
Ricky Ponting, who is in India as coach of the Delhi Capitals, described the situation as ‘‘grim’’.
Kolkata Knight Riders mentor David Hussey said some of the Australian contingent were nervous about securing safe passage back home after the Morrison government reduced the number of incoming passengers allowed from India, although his own team felt fortunate to be able to provide entertainment for a population in lockdown.
India set a global record for infections for a third consecutive day, this time 346,786 cases on Saturday. Hospitals are overwhelmed, oxygen supplies are running low, and people have died in line waiting to see doctors.
The IPL show is rolling on in biosecure bubbles, without crowds and with many of the world’s top international stars including Steve Smith, David Warner and Pat Cummins in action.
Talks are afoot to organise a chartered flight for Australian players and coaches from India at the conclusion of the tournament.
Hussey said some Indian players and staff had lost relatives to the virus. While he was determined to stay the course for the remainder of the season, which ends in late May, other Australians were getting twitchy.