‘Those who choose to play in IPL…’: Cricket Australia's message for Starc, Cummins, Head after revised fixture announced

Cricket Australia (CA) put the ball on the players' court, vowing to support them in their decision on whether to return to India to take part in the last phase of the Indian Premier League (IPL), which is slated to resume on Saturday, May 17, following a ceasefire between India and Pakistan. The competition was halted for a week on May 9 due to escalating tensions between the nuclear-armed neighbours, prompting many Australian players, coaches, and commentators to return home. After the BCCI announced a revised schedule of the IPL on Monday night, the Australian internationals must decide whether to return to India, weighing personal safety, professional commitments, and upcoming international fixtures, CA said in a statement released on Tuesday (May 13). Sunrisers Hyderabad's captain Pat Cummins, right, celebrates with teammate Travis Head.(AP)

"Cricket Australia will support players in their individual decisions whether to return to India or not. Team management will work through the preparation implications for the World Test Championship final for those players who choose to play in the remaining IPL matches. We are maintaining communication with the Australian Government and BCCI around security arrangements and safety," said CA.

The IPL suspension came amid a volatile situation, with a notable interruption during a match between Ricky Ponting’s Punjab Kings and Mitch Starc’s Delhi Capitals on May 8 in Dharamsala, halted in the first innings as air-raid sirens echoed nearby. The tournament will restart with a clash between Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) and Kolkata Knight Riders in Bengaluru, one of six venues hosting the remaining 13 group-stage matches. The rescheduled IPL final is set for June 3, just eight days before Australia's World Test Championship (WTC) final against South Africa at Lord’s on June 11.

Several Australians are at a crossroads. Key WTC squad members, including Pat Cummins, Travis Head (SRH), Josh Inglis (PBKS), Mitch Marsh, and Mitch Starc (DC), are involved in the IPL. Cummins and Head’s Sunrisers Hyderabad are out of playoff contention despite three remaining games, while Inglis’ Punjab, Starc’s Delhi, and Marsh’s Lucknow Super Giants are still in the race. Josh Hazlewood, who plays for RCB, is recovering from a shoulder injury but is expected to be fit for the WTC final.

Apart from the WTC probable, the other Australian stars involved in this year's IPL are Nathan Ellis (CSK), Jake Fraser-McGurk (DC), Spencer Johnson (KKR), Marcus Stoinis, Glenn Maxwell, Mitch Owen, Aaron Hardie, Xavier Bartlett (PBKS), Tim David (RCB), and Adam Zampa (SRH).

Prominent Australian coaches and commentators are also affected. Lucknow Super Giants coach Justin Langer, Punjab assistant Brad Haddin, Chennai batting coach Mike Hussey, and broadcasters Matthew Hayden and Mel Jones face decisions about returning. Ponting and Haddin reportedly stayed in India during the suspension.

Meanwhile, the Pakistan Super League (PSL), which includes Australian David Warner, is expected to announce its restart soon. However, many overseas PSL players are unlikely to return due to scheduling conflicts and other commitments. The India-Pakistan tensions, sparked by a deadly attack in Kashmir's Pahalgam that killed 26 Indian tourists, continued to cast a shadow over both tournaments.

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