Grateful to BCCI for getting Australia cricketers home after IPL 2021 suspension: CA chief Nick Hockley

Cricket Australia interim chief Nick Hockley on Monday expressed delight over the arrival of as many as 40 cricketers in Sydney following the suspension of Indian Premier League 2021. Hockley said the CA is grateful to the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) for ensuring the players, support staff and the commentators reached home safely.

The Australian contingent, which took part in IPL 2021, arrived in Sydney on Monday from the Maldives. The players, support staff and commentators were shifted out of India to the Maldives via chartered planes. The decision to move the cricketers out of India was taken after the Australian government banned the return of Australian citizens from India until May 15 due to Covid-19 second wave in India.

Former Australia batsman and Chennai Super Kings batting coach Michael Hussey, according to reports, was also expected to reach Sydney on Monday. He had tested positive for Covid-19 during IPL 2021 and was receiving treatment at a private hospital in Chennai.

IPL 2021 was suspended on May 4 due to positive Covid-19 cases in bio-bubble across multiple franchises in Delhi and Ahmedabad. The BCCI confirmed that the 14th edition was indefinitely suspended after 29 matches were played in the tournament.

“We are delighted. We’re really grateful to the BCCI for getting them home quickly and safely. I haven’t spoken to them since they’ve landed, but obviously we’ve been in text exchange and I’m sure they’ll be very relieved and very appreciative to be home,” Hockey said, as quoted by Sydney Morning Herald.

The Australia cricketers will undergo another 14-day mandatory quarantine period in Sydney. The quarantine, which according to SMH is being paid for by the BCCI, will be spread across multiple hotels in Sydney.

On Monday, CA announced their squad for a limited-overs series in West Indies. Aaron Finch will lead the team which will play 5 T20Is in St Lucia and 3 ODIs in Barbados in July. After completing the quarantine period, the IPL players who are part of the West Indies tour will join the rest of the squad for their Caribbean tour.

Notably, New Zealand and England players returned home in chartered planes after IPL 2021 was suspended. A few New Zealand players, including captain Kane Williamson, headed to the Maldives from India as they were scheduled to reach the UK for a 2-Test series against England and the World Test Championship final.