Three Australian players have opted out of the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) as the COVID-19 has wreaked havoc in India. These players include Adam Zampa, Kane Richardson and Andrew Tye.
The leg spinner Zampa and fast bowler were representing Royal Challengers Banglore (RCB) while Andrew Tye was the part of Rajasthan Royals.
Tye, flew to Sydney on Sunday via Mumbai and Doha, citing the “stress of bubble life” and concerns about borders closing in Australia.
“I just thought I should try and get on the front foot and get home before I got locked out of the country,” he told Australian radio station SEN. I think I’ve had 11 days at home and out of the bubble since August. “There’s definitely concerns,” Tye added. “A lot of guys have been in touch today once they’ve realised I was leaving.
“Some of the guys are very interested in what route I took home and how I approached it.
Zampa and Richardson have now decided to follow suit, with Royal Challengers Bangalore on Monday saying they were unavailable for the rest of the IPL season and were returning to Australia for “personal reasons”.
“Royal Challengers Bangalore management respects their decision and offers them complete support,” the franchise said on Twitter.
India’s off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has also pulled out of IPL to support his family in these testings times. The 34-year-old took to Twitter and said, “I would be taking a break from this years IPL from tomorrow. My family and extended family are putting up a fight against COVID-19.”
India has set a new global record for a rise in daily coronavirus cases for a fifth straight day, while deaths from COVID-19 also jumped by an all-time high over the last 24 hours on Monday.
Infections in the past 24 hours rose to 352,991, with overcrowded hospitals in Delhi and elsewhere turning away patients after running out of supplies of medical oxygen and beds. Deaths rose by record 2,812 to reach a total of 195,123.
