New Delhi: Australian players who don’t want to return to India for the resumption of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 will reportedly be backed by Cricket Australia (CA). Nearly all the Aussie players, who were part of different franchises in IPL 2025, returned home after the BCCI suspended the league for a week on Friday, May 09, amid escalating tensions between India and Pakistan.
The majority of the Australian players have already reached home. However, some of the former Australian players like Ricky Ponting and Brad Haddin, who are part of the Punjab Kings (PBKS) coaching staff, have decided to stay back in India after a ceasefire was announced by India and Pakistan on Saturday. Some of the Aussie players in PBKS have also stayed back after being convinced by Ponting.
However, the likes of Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Pat Cummins and Marcus Stoinis, among others, have already returned to Australia following the suspension of the league. As per a report in the Sydney Morning Herald, these players will be ‘defended’ by Cricket Australia if they choose not to return to India for IPL 2025.
“Shaken Australian players will be defended by Cricket Australia should they refuse to return to the Indian Premier League on safety grounds,” read a report in the Sydney Morning Herald.
“Fear and anxiety remained prevalent emotions among Australian players … as all made their way home from the IPL, leaving the likes of Ricky Ponting and Brad Haddin among coaching staff still in India,” it added.
While some of the Australian players are anxious about returning due to safety concerns, others feel that if they don’t return, they might be frozen out of future editions. However, CA is ready to defend their cases and is ready to take up the matter with the BCCI to ensure that their decision to not return is not held up against them in the future.
“In that light…CA will defend the rights of players to make their own calls about returning to the IPL on a case by case basis, taking the view that their decisions should not be held against them for the future,” added the report in the Sydney Morning Herald.
Starc, Hazlewood doubtful to return for IPL 2025’s resumption
The BCCI is planning to restart IPL 2025 later this week and has already communicated to all ten franchises to reassemble at their respective venues. A total of 16 matches are still pending in the ongoing season, including the playoff matches and the final. However, the teams are uncertain about getting all their overseas players back.
Australian pacers Starc and Hazlewood have both returned home and might not return for the remainder of the season. While Hazlewood has picked up a shoulder injury, which puts his return in doubt, Starc’s manager recently told Australia’s Nine News that the left-arm pacer might not be available for the remaining matches.
It remains to be seen how BCCI and the franchises will convince the overseas players to return to India ahead of the resumption of IPL 2025.
Cricket Australia would reportedly back the Australian players who don’t want to return to India for the resumption of IPL 2025 as the league prepares to resume after 1-week suspension. IPL Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today
