The Coronavirus crisis in India is getting serious with every passing day. Since the tournament began, four players have so far have opted out from the tournament. In the wake of the ever-increasing Covid cases in India, two more star overseas cricketers are mulling over withdrawing their names from IPL 2021 and return home to their family safely.
Delhi Capitals players Steve Smith and Sunrisers Hyderabad captain David Warner are expected to end their IPL 14 stint mid-way and return to Australia soon. Earlier, three Australian cricketers -- Royal Challengers Bangalore's Kane Richardson and Adam Zampa and Andrew Tye of Rajasthan Royals flew back home to Australia over fear of contracting the virus.
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“Australian cricketers including David Warner and Steve Smith are now hoping to be flown home to India before borders shut,” news agency IANS quoted 9News as saying.
"We have got 30 players, coaches and commentators that are very keen to get out of India naturally given the deteriorating situation that they are facing health-wise right across the country," the report added.
As per the Channel9 report, not only the Aussie players but the Australian coaches and commentators could also be flown home as the Covid situation in India is getting worse every day. Reportedly, the Australian government is considering sealing all borders and enforcing a complete ban on flights from India. Many steps have also been taken in this direction.
"I'm just going to wait and see how that plays out. Worst comes to worst, we'll have to quarantine in Dubai for a couple of weeks before we can fly home. But I'm sure it will get sorted," Aussie pacer Nathan Coulter-Nile, who termed the IPL bio-bubble 'safer than finding a way back home', told cricket.com.au.