IPL 2021: Australian players will head home via Sri Lanka or the Maldives: Cricket Australia

The Australian contingent, who were part of the now postponed IPL as players, coaches and commentators, will soon move out of India in the next few days.

However, the unit of 38 personnel will either shift to the Maldives or Sri Lanka first before being allowed to head back to their homes.

Cricket Australia's interim chief executive Nick Hockley revealed that the BCCI is working to safely get Australian players out of the country to either of the two island nations.

The Australian government has imposed a ban on all flights from India until May 15. Hence, the players will have to wait it out until then before it becomes clear how they will be allowed back into Australia.

“What we and the BCCI are working to do is to move the entire cohort out of India, where they will then wait until it’s possible to return to Australia,” Cricket Australia's interim chief executive Nick Hockley said, as quoted by the Guardian.

“The BCCI has been working on a range of options. That’s now narrowed down to the Maldives and Sri Lanka. The BCCI are working through the final details of that at the moment and we expect that movement will happen in the next two to three days.”

UPDATE: The Indian Premier League Governing Council (IPL GC) and Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) in an emergency meeting has unanimously decided to postpone IPL 2021 season with immediate effect.Details - https://t.co/OgYXPj9FQy pic.twitter.com/lYmjBId8gL

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Traveling directly from India to Australia is currently an offense, and it will induce not only hefty fines but also a jail term.

Things will only become clear once May 15 is passed and the Australian government reviews its decision regarding the flight ban.

Pat Cummins admits to facing anxiety in the Australian camp after IPL's postponement

Pat Cummins. Pic Credits: IPL

Kolkata Knight Riders bowler Pat Cummins acknowledged that there is anxiety among Australian players regarding the uncertainty of the situation on how they will head back to their homes.

Australian Cricketers' Association chief executive Todd Greenberg said the players signed up for the IPL knowing of the risks involved in the tournament.

"They signed up for India and they signed up with their eyes wide open about some of the challenges and risks when they went in, they always knew when they came back they would have to do isolation of 14 days to come back into the country. What they didn't expect was the borders to be closed, so that created some anxiety for them," Greenberg said.

Meanwhile, Michael Hussey, who was part of the Chennai Super Kings as batting coach, has tested positive for the Coronavirus.

The former Australian batsman will first complete his 10 days of hotel quarantine in India before being allowed to leave the country.

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