Australian ODI spinner Adam Zampa is returning home from the IPL.

Australian ODI spinner Adam Zampa is returning home from the IPL.Credit:Getty Images

Sources said CA has previously arranged a charter flight for a player in special circumstances during the pandemic but that it would be a last resort on this occasion. CA is caught in the tricky situation in which it has given permission for players – several of whom are centrally contracted – to head to India but they are ultimately there on their own time. Players had already been having trouble organising flights out of India,with Tye flying back via Doha.

The IPL season – being played behind closed doors – runs until the end of May. Australia’s men are due to head to the West Indies for a white-ball tour in late June. Given players will be required to quarantine for a fortnight on returning to Australia,there will be relatively little wriggle room should there be a delay in getting players back home at the end of the lucrative T20 tournament.

“I was doing the calculations earlier and I think I’ve had 11 days at home out of bubbles and hubs since August.”

Andrew Tye

The governing body issued a joint statement with the Australian players union on Monday.

“Cricket Australia and the Australian Cricketers’ Association remain in regular contact with Australian players,coaches and commentators taking part in the Indian Premier League,which is being conducted under strict biosecurity protocols,” CA and the ACA said.

“We will continue to listen to feedback from those on the ground in India and the advice of the Australian government.

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“Our thoughts are with the people of India at this difficult time.”

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Royal Challengers Bangalore,the IPL club for which both Richardson and Zampa play,announced on Monday that the pair were heading back to Australia “for personal reasons”.

They joined fellow Aussie Tye,who officially opted out of the IPL on Sunday. He had been contracted to the Rajasthan Royals.

An abundance of other top-line Australian white-ball players including Glenn Maxwell,Pat Cummins,Steve Smith and David Warner are also in India playing in the tournament. Ricky Ponting,Simon Katich,David Hussey and Lisa Sthalekar are among the other Australians involved in the event,either working for clubs or commentating.

Tye explained his decision to leave on SEN WA on Monday morning.

“There was a number of reasons,but the main one was the situation that’s started to happen back home in Perth,” Tye said.

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“With a lot of cases in Australia in hotel quarantine coming out of India,and now there’s been a community case spread in Perth and governments are now trying to restrict numbers coming back in,especially WA.

“I just thought to try and get on the front foot and get home before I get locked out of the country. It’s been a long time in a hub – I was doing the calculations earlier and I think I’ve had 11 days at home out of bubbles and hubs since August.

“For me and the person that I am,I just wanted to get home and dealing with the stress of bubble life has taken its toll.”

Kane Richardson is returning to Australia.

Kane Richardson is returning to Australia.Credit:Getty Images

RCB’s statement on Twitter said:“Adam Zampa&Kane Richardson are returning to Australia for personal reasons and will be unavailable for the remainder of#IPL2021. Royal Challengers Bangalore management respects their decision and offers them complete support.”

Indian great Ravichandran Ashwin also announced on Monday that he had pulled out of the tournament.

“I would be taking a break from this year’s IPL from tomorrow,” Ashwin said.

“My family and extended family are putting up a fight against#COVID19 and I want to support them during these tough times. I expect to return to play if things go in the right direction. Thank you@DelhiCapitals.”

The T20 World Cup is due to be played in October in India,a longer-term concern for global cricket.

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