Cricket Australia will back players who don't want to return to India for IPL: Report

Josh Hazlewood (Pic: File Pic)

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) imposed a one-week suspension in the ongoing IPL 2025, amid escalating tensions between India and Pakistan. Many overseas players, mostly Australians, have returned home following the suspension.

According to a report in Sydney Morning Herald, Cricket Australia will extend its support to its players who do not wish to return to India to feature in the tournament.

All Australian players from various IPL 2025 teams, except former cricketers, have returned home. Ricky Ponting and Brad Haddin, among the coaching staff, are still in India. Other coaches, including Justin Langer and Mike Hussey, have also landed back home due to border tensions between India and Pakistan.

Also Read: "Congrats to my biscotti": AB de Villiers and cricket fraternity hail Virat Kohli on remarkable test career

"Shaken Australian players will be defended by Cricket Australia should they refuse to return to the Indian Premier League on safety grounds," the report said. "Fear and anxiety remained prevalent emotions among Australian players ... as all made their way home from the IPL, leaving the likes of Ricky Ponting and Brad Haddin among coaching staff still in India."

Not just safety issues, the players are also concerned about the prospect of "being pressured to return to the tournament and then frozen out of future editions of the IPL should they choose not to."

"In that light... CA will defend the rights of players to make their own calls about returning to the IPL on a case by case basis, taking the view that their decisions should not be held against them for the future," it added.

There is also the issue of a tight cricket calendar and whether the IPL continues beyond the originally planned May 24. Further, the report revealed that all Australian players would require fresh 'no-objection' certificates from CA in order to return.

Test players such as Travis Head, Mitchell Starc, captain Pat Cummins and fellow fast bowler Josh Hazlewood are to spend a few days at home before flying to the UK ahead of the World Test Championship (WTC) final at Lord's against South Africa. The final will be immediately followed by a three-Test tour of the West Indies.

The IPL 2025 still has 16 of its matches to be played, including the final, which was earlier scheduled to be played at the Eden Gardens.

(With PTI Inputs)