Aussie paceman Andrew Tye, who plays for Rajasthan Royals in the IPL, returned home midway citing 'personal reasons', amid a surge in the Coronavirus crisis in India. The star fast-bowler was critical of IPL franchises spending so much money on cricket at a time when a record number of people in India are dying due to lack of basic medical facilities and infrastructre.
The 34-year-old, however, said that he respects everyone’s views from all angles and IPL 2021 should go ahead if it was a means to relieving stress for those struggling due to the Coronavirus pandemic.
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“Looking at it from an Indian point of view, how are these companies and franchises spending so much money, and the government, on the IPL when there’s people not being able to get accepted into hospital?
“If sport can continue and be one of those avenues to relieve stress or give a glimmer of hope that the world is OK and there is light at the end of the tunnel, I think it should go ahead,” Tye was quoted as saying by cricket.com.au.
“But I know that’s not everyone’s feelings and I completely respect everyone’s views from all angles.”
Tye revealed that one of the main reasons why he decided to pull out of the tournament was due to the increasing hotel quarantine cases coming out of India, back home in his hometown. Tye, who was bought by Rajasthan Royals for INR 1 crore in IPL 2021 Auction, has not played a single match in this year's IPL.
“There was a number of reasons, but the main one was with the situation that has started to happen back home in Perth with a lot of cases in hotel quarantine coming out of India,” Tye told ‘SEN radio’ from Doha on Monday.
“Now there’s been a community case in Perth governments are trying to restrict numbers coming back in, especially Western Australia.”