After its Special General Meeting (SGM), BCCI on Saturday (May 29) announced that the remaining 31 games of IPL 2021 will be held in UAE in the September-October window.
While BCCI didn’t comment on the availability of foreign players, ECB managing director Ashley Giles has already made it clear that the England players won’t be released for the remainder of IPL 14.
On Monday (May 31), CA chief executive Nick Hockley said they are yet to start discussions over Australian players’ participation in the second leg of IPL 2021.
Notably, Australia’s IPL-bound cricketers completed their quarantine in Sydney on Monday. They had to return home after the tournament got suspended on May 4 due to COVID-19 cases among players and staff members in multiple franchises.
The Australian players, commentators, coaches and match officials had to fly via Maldives because of the travel ban in their country from India.
"Once we get back together as a group that [the IPL] is something we'll obviously need to discuss," Hockley quoted as saying by ESPNcricinfo. "Our players returning from the IPL have only today come out of quarantine, so our first priority is to make sure they are reunited with their families…we [then] have a tour to prepare for in the West Indies."
Earlier this month, Australia announced a preliminary 23-man squad for a white-ball tour of the West Indies, slated to be held in July.
The star-studded squad saw the return of Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, David Warner and Pat Cummins, who all missed the recent trip to New Zealand.
However, reports claim that Warner and Cummins may not be included in the final squad so they can spend more time with their families.
"They are clearly quite shaken by the experience, and are very appreciative to be back home, very much looking forward to being reunited with family and friends today," Hockley said. "It's a couple of weeks before the West Indies touring party then regroups at the National Cricket Centre [in Brisbane] and then that's the time to refocus."
Hockley also confirmed that CA is keen to get the entire squad vaccinated for COVID-19 before they leave for Caribbean tour in late June.
"We really welcomed the government announcements that people with exemptions to leave Australia for work will be eligible for the vaccine," Hockley said. "Now once the players are out of quarantine we will be working to offer them vaccinations before heading off to the West Indies."
(Inputs from ESPNcricinfo)
