The Indian Premier League’s 18th season was put on hold due to unforeseen circumstances, but it’s expected to resume soon, possibly around May 15 or 16. Several Australian players are part of the tournament, and recent updates suggest some might not return to India.
Australian Players in the IPL
Royal Challengers Bangalore is performing well this season, largely thanks to Australian bowler Josh Hazlewood. However, he’s struggling with a shoulder injury that kept him out of the last match. Hazlewood was also injured before the IPL started and missed the Champions Trophy after the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
A media report says Hazlewood is set to play in the World Test Championship final in June, so Cricket Australia isn’t too concerned about his injury. If the IPL resumes now, Hazlewood might be out, which would be a big blow to RCB.
Players Unlikely to Return
When Mitchell Starc returned home after the IPL was suspended, he didn’t speak to the media. His manager told Nine News that Starc won’t be back in India, which means Delhi Capitals will be hit hard. Starc’s team has been doing well in the tournament so far.
Other Australian players might not return due to their teams’ playoff chances. Pat Cummins captains Sunrisers Hyderabad, which is already out of the playoff race. Travis Head is also with Hyderabad, and Nathan Ellis plays for Chennai Super Kings, which was the first team to be eliminated.
Players Still in the Running
Some Australian players are still in the playoff hunt. They include:
- Mitchell Starc
- Jake Fraser-McGurk (Delhi Capitals)
- Spencer Johnson (Kolkata Knight Riders)
- Mitchell Marsh (Lucknow Super Giants)
- Josh Hazlewood
- Tim David (Royal Challengers Bangalore)
- Marcus Stoinis
- Mitch Owen
- Josh Inglis
- Aron Hardy
- Xavier Bartlett (Punjab Kings)
Resuming the IPL
The IPL was suspended after the 59th match, and the Punjab Kings vs Delhi Capitals match was stopped mid-game. There are 13 league-stage matches left to play. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) met on Sunday to discuss resuming the tournament as soon as possible. They’re considering an early restart to avoid delaying the final. A new schedule might be announced soon.