IPL is all set to begin on September 19 but few star players including Warner, Smith, Finch, Maxwell and Cummins from Australia are reported to miss the opening matches. The players will leave for the UAE after the limited-overs series against England. Australia will play three T20 matches and three ODIs as part of their tour of England. The Board of Australia (CA) has announced a 21-member jumbo squad for both series. Twelve of them are playing in the Indian Premier League (IPL).
Also See: ENG vs AUS | England vs Australia Schedule | ENG vs AUS Live Score
Other Aussie players who will be coming to the IPL late include Michell Marsh, Josh Phillipe, Kane Richardson, Alex Carey, Marcus Stoinis, Josh Hazlewood, and Andrew Tye. While Warner the captain of the Sunrisers, Pat Cummins who was auctioned off by the Kolkata Knight Riders for a record amount, Smith representing Rajasthan, Punjab’s Maxwell, and Bangalore’s Finch are the key players to be missed in the initial games. Two other Aussie cricketers in the league, Nathan Coulter-Nile, and Chris Lynn, are not a part of the Aus-Eng squad who will travel on time to represent the Mumbai Indians.
The England-Australia series starts from the 4th to the 16th of next month. The IPL starts on September 19. However, according to the latest rules of the IPL, cricketers from any country coming to the UAE must stay in the hotel quarantine for a week. On the first, third, and sixth days of the week, they undergo COVID– 19 tests. Only those who test negative in all three tests will be allowed to join the team and participate in practice. Although some franchises have made special appeals to reduce the quarantine time of players coming from England. It is reported that the Governing Council has rejected it. The SOP, which was drafted by the BCCI for the IPL, is yet to be formally approved by the UAE government.
England players too will miss out initial matches
Like Australia, England players join their IPL teams late. A total of 13 players from England, including Ben Stokes, Eion Morgan, Jofra Archer, and Jos Buttler, have to miss initial matches for their respective teams.
Permission for McDonald’s …
CA assistant coach McDonald’s, who did not give any leeway in terms of players, has been granted special permission to go directly to the UAE for the IPL. He is the head coach of the Rajasthan Royals.
Australia’s 21-man squad for England tour: Aaron Finch (c), Sean Abbott, Ashton Agar, Alex Carey, Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Mitchell Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Riley Meredith, Josh Philippe, Daniel Sams, Kane Richardson, Steven Smith, Mitchell Starc, Marcus Stoinis, Andrew Tye, Matthew Wade, David Warner, Adam Zampa.
3 T20 matches – September 4, 6, 8 (venue Southampton)
3 ODIs – September 11, 13, 16 (venue Manchester)