Jonny Bairstow has kickstarted an exodus of overseas cricketers from the ongoing Indian Premier League. The English batsman played his last game for Sunrisers Hyderabad on Tuesday (April 23) and is flying back home to join the national team ahead of the upcoming World Cup. 

In his debut IPL season, Bairstow made 445 runs at an average of 55.62 and strike-rate of 157.24 including a highest of 114 for SRH - which is set to also lose its other mainstay opener, David Warner, who tallies 574 runs in the tournament thus far. Warner is part of Australia's World Cup squad.

This situation is not limited to just Sunrisers, as most teams will not have their best overseas cricketers available towards the business end. And Senior sports journalist Ayaz Memon reckons this mass departure will take at least some sheen away from the blockbuster event. 

"It will have a pretty big impact," Memon told AFP. "If you look at players like David Warner, Jonny Bairstow, and even some of the West Indies stars like an Andre Russell, it's going to take away a lot of the lustre and the star value."

"But this something that was anticipated (long before the season began) and all franchises have back-ups in place. It gives a chance to some of the Indian talents to come in and shine."

Even veteran pacer and stand-in skipper Bhuvneshwar Kumar feels that the best players leaving is something teams like SRH will be disappointed about but they have no control over it and hence must have confidence on their back-up options. 

"There is no doubt that these guys have done really well but I won't say (we are) upset. We have got guys who can replace him (Bairstow)," said Kumar after leading the side in absence of injured Kane Williamson against Chennai Super Kings. "But the way he performed, we will miss him."

Rajasthan Royals is another franchise that will be severally impacted by the development. The team has already lost Jos Buttler, who has gone back for the birth of his first child, and is about to also see Ben Stokes, Jofra Archer and Steve Smith leave its camp in the next few days. 

"We did know that we are going to be losing players," Royals coach Paddy Upton was quoted saying. "We have got nice replacements. We have got Oshane Thomas waiting in the wings should Jofra Archer go."

"If Smith were to go, and Stokes, then we have Ashton Turner. We are quite comfortable that we are not going to be left with big gaping holes, certainly with the foreign internationals."

Delhi Capitals and Mumbai Indians are also set to lose their first-choice cricketers from abroad like pacer Kagiso Rabada and keeper batsman Quinton de Kock respectively as South Africa is about to recall them back, as well as Chennai Super Kings leg-spinner Imran Tahir. 

Moeen Ali of Royal Challengers Bangalore is another player who has played his last game of the tournament this year, as he heads back to join England's World Cup preparation camp.