SYDNEY: Unprecedented travel restrictions are likely to scupper Australians’ participation in the Indian Premier League (IPL), should the Twenty20 bonanza proceed at all.
Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison has announced a blanket ‘do not travel overseas’ advisory that will remain in place indefinitely, intending to help combat the coronavirus pandemic.
Presuming that advice remains in place next month, the IPL-bound Australians would need to finalise individual insurance and emergency-plan arrangements.
Cricket Australia (CA), having recently attempted to soothe concerns it would revoke no-objection certificates for the IPL, is supportive of Wednesday’s travel advice.
CA has previously opted against sending teams to Pakistan when it was classified a level-three ‘reconsider your need to travel’ destination by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.
This is arguably a more complex issue for many reasons, especially as the IPL falls during players’ leave period, but it could prove a moot point.
IPL organisers have already pushed this season’s start back to April 15, the same date which the Indian government has suspended all visas until such time, with expectation growing it will change again soon.
“We’ve never seen anything like this,” national limited-overs skipper Aaron Finch, who was slated to join Virat Kohli at Royal Challengers Bangalore, told SEN. “That [travel advice] has changed over the last couple of hours. That could change in two weeks or three weeks, it’s hard to plan anything.
“But it’s just about making sure everyone around you personally is safe and you’re doing everything you can to stop the spread.”
Pat Cummins ($A3.16 million) headlined the list of Australians sold during the most recent auction, with Steve Smith, David Warner and Glenn Maxwell all on deals topping A$2m.
One player agent suggested to AAP that India’s board could attempt to stage a truncated IPL that ends as late as September.
England intended to launch a new format in July with help from Finch and other Australian stars, but the Hundred is now in doubt like so many sporting events.
A number of Australian off-field positions are also under threat: Ricky Ponting is head coach of the Delhi Daredevils, while current men’s team assistant coach Andrew McDonald has the reins for the Rajasthan Royals. Former Test batsman Simon Katich is set to be a first-year head coach at Royal Challengers Bangalore, assisted by Tasmanian Tigers chief Adam Griffith.
Australian players would cop a major financial blow if the coronavirus outbreak affected the next home summer, which includes a lucrative Test series against India plus the men’s T20 World Cup.
“That’s the risk you take when you have the revenue-share model, when the organisation takes a hit then so do we,” Finch said. “We understand we’re all in this together. I’m sure in the long run, everything will be back to normal at some stage. It’s just hard to say when.”
Big-hitting batsman Alex Hales has self-isolated in the UK after displaying symptoms of coronavirus on his return from playing in the Pakistan Super League Hales, who played with the Sydney Thunder last summer, was one of a number of international players to leave the PSL early as the COVID-19 pandemic spread.
He developed suspected symptoms on his return to the UK, and the tournament was suspended in Pakistan.
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chief executive Wasim Khan said officials were forced to suspend the tournament as Hales confirmed on Twitter he first started developing flu-like symptoms on Sunday after returning to Britain.
Five Australians had featured in the 2020 edition of the PSL — Shane Watson, Ben Cutting and Fawad Ahmed all with the Quetta Gladiators, while the Lahore Qalandars featured Chris Lynn and Ben Dunk.
All players will be required to self-isolate for 14 days on their return to the country following the introduction of strict measures by the Australian government.
Published in Dawn, March 20th, 2020
