Sydney: Cricket Australia has expressed its gratitude for sending Australia's IPL contingent back home safely. The Indian Premier League (IPL) was 'indefinitely suspended' by the IPL governing council after there were a number of cases of Covid-19 among the players and support staff.
Nick Hockley, the CEO of Cricket Australia has expressed his gratitude towards BCCI. "We're delighted. We're really grateful to the BCCI for getting them home quickly and safely. I haven't spoken to them since they've landed, but obviously, we've been in text exchange and I'm sure they'll be very relieved and very appreciative to be home," Sydney Morning Herald quoted Hockley as saying.
Recently, Australian Mike Hussey who is the batting coach of CSK was also infected with Covid -19.
Cricket Australia's chief executive Nick Hockley had said that BCCI is going to arrange chartered flights for the Australians who are present in India due to the IPL. But, the Aussie recruits will have to take a route via the Maldives or Sri Lanka, Hockley confirmed.
“The public will see our best Australian cricketers as almost superheroes. They’re brilliant athletes, great cricketers but they’re human beings,” Todd Greenberg, the ACA chief executive was quoted as saying by ESPNcricinfo. “Some of them are fathers and husbands, and they’re under enormous amounts of stress. Some deal with it differently. This will probably be an experience they will never forget. We will help them when they come home. Some will cope with it really well, others will need support and counseling and that’s what we’ll do."
Earlier, the Australian PM had declined the demand by Chris Lynn as the Australian government has suspended all flights to India till at least May 15. PM Morrison said that the IPL cricketers have not traveled for an Australian international tour and no special arrangements could be made for the players. He said, “They (cricketers) have traveled there privately under those arrangements, this wasn't part of an Australian tour