BCCI, IPL Franchises Ramp Up Pressure On Foreign Boards For Player Return Amid Safety Concerns

The BCCI and IPL franchises are stepping up pressure on foreign cricket boards to ensure their players return in time for the league’s restart on May 17, despite ongoing safety concerns following recent India-Pakistan military tensions. (More Cricket News)

The BCCI has directed IPL COO Hemang Amin to personally reach out to boards like Cricket Australia (CA) and the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) to address any concerns their players may have about returning to India.

All 10 IPL teams are actively engaged in back-and-forth discussions with their overseas players about travel plans, just a day after the league released its revised schedule following government security clearance.

The world’s biggest T20 league was halted on May 9 following a military standoff between India and Pakistan, sparked by the April 22 terrorist attack in Pahalgam, South Kashmir. A ceasefire was announced the very next day, clearing the path for the IPL’s resumption.

"We have been speaking to the foreign boards individually while teams are directly dealing with their players. We expect majority of them to return," a BCCI official told PTI on Tuesday.

Cricket Australia has left the decision on participation to the players, with the players' association also expected to play a role in situations like this.

Team officials, on the other hand, told PTI that some of the foreign players remain anxious to return but majority of them should come back before the tournament resumes.

"The revised scheduled was announced last night. We have just started contacting our foreign players over their availability. We will have a clearer picture by tomorrow morning. Anyway our game is on May 20. We have enough time," said CSK CEO Kasi Viswanathan.

CSK's foreign players include Devon Conway, Rachin Ravindra, Sam Curran, Jamie Overton, Noor Ahmad and Matheesha Pathirana.

Afghanistan's Ahmad and Pathirana from Sri Lanka are set to join the team while there are doubts over the availability of their New Zealand players.

Cummins, Head Ready for Return; Buttler Faces IPL vs Country Dilemma

Jos Buttler, who has been a key contributor to Gujarat Titans' campaign at number three this season, now faces a tough choice between the IPL and his England duties after being named in the ODI squad for the series against the West Indies, starting May 29.

England players were initially granted NOCs for the entire IPL, but with the tournament now extended until June 3, instead of the original May 25 final, these clearances will need to be reassessed.

As per the revised IPL schedule, the league stage ends on May 27.

The England ODI squad also features Jacob Bethell and Will Jacks, both of whom are playing for RCB and Mumbai Indians, respectively. With both teams still in the race for the playoffs, their involvement in the upcoming series against the West Indies will add another layer of complexity to their IPL commitments.

"We're keen to support the IPL and the BCCI in getting the schedule up and running, and to facilitate players' return should they choose to go back," an ECB spokesperson said.

"No Objection Certificates have been granted based on the original IPL dates, so we'll need to review any potential extensions, particularly in relation to any clash with the final white-ball squad," the spokesperson added.

At Punjab Kings, Australian all-rounder Marcus Stoinis and wicketkeeper-batsman Josh Inglis may not return to India, though head coach Ricky Ponting is doing everything he can to persuade them.

Fellow Australians Xavier Bartlett and Aaron Hardie, along with Afghanistan’s Azmatullah Omarzai and South Africa’s Marco Jansen, are expected to return.

The team is on course to reach its first play-offs since 2014.

Ricky Ponting demonstrated his commitment by de-boarding a home-bound flight after the ceasefire announcement last week, while support staff like Brad Haddin and James Hopes stayed in India.

Punjab Kings and Delhi Capitals players faced an anxious road and train journey from Dharamsala to Delhi after their May 8 match was abandoned midway due to air raid alerts in nearby border areas.

"The foreign players were scared at that time and understandably so. The BCCI showed the safety of the players is paramount by ensuring they all got back home safely.

"Now the situation has got better, the players should return. However, some of them still remain on the edge," said an IPL official.

Like CSK, SunRisers Hyderabad are also eliminated from the competition but the franchise is expecting captain Pat Cummins and batter Travis Head to return for the remaining three league games.

"We are confident that majority of foreign players will return including the captain," said a team official.

Delhi Capitals, still in the race for a top-four finish, reached out to their overseas players on Tuesday morning and are awaiting their responses. Australian pacer Mitchell Starc is one of DC’s key players.

"We hope that all of them return. We will know more by tomorrow," said a team official.

The IPL final originally scheduled for May 25 has been pushed back to June 3.

The World Test Championship (WTC) final between Australia and South Africa is scheduled from June 11 at the Lord's, leaving very little turnaround time for their players who decide to take part in the IPL play-offs.

With PTI Inputs