After being stranded in India for over a month amid the nationwide COVID-19 lockdown, Royal Challengers Bangalore’s Director of Cricket Operations Mike Hesson finally flew back home to New Zealand on Tuesday (April 28).

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The former Kiwi coach had arrived in India on March 5 for the now-suspended IPL 2020 but was stuck in the country after the lockdown was announced on March 24 and all international flights were cancelled.

Taking to Twitter, Hesson wrote: “What a wonderful sight after spending over a day on a bus to get to Mumbai airport. The staff on @FlyAirNZ were simply outstanding on our return to New Zealand.”

In his post, Hesson also thanked Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the New Zealand Embassy in India, New Zealand’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and New Zealand’s Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern.

In order to contain the limit of Coronavirus outbreak, India and New Zealand had imposed lockdowns, closed borders and issued travel restrictions in their respective countries last month, forcing Hesson to stay in Bengaluru. While India continues to be in lockdown till May 3, New Zealand eased its stern measures on April 28.

Meanwhile, the 13th edition of Indian Premier League, which was initially scheduled to begin from March 29, has been postponed until further notice due to COVID-19 crisis.

(With PTI inputs)