According to reports, BCCI To Discuss Player Availability Issues With Foreign Boards For IPL 2021
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced the resumption of the IPL 2021 which will be done in the UAE during the virtual Special General Meeting (SGM) and the remainder of the 31 matches will be played in the September-October window.
The BCCI has also decided that it will keep a window open till July before taking a call on the availability of foreign players. This was confirmed to ANI by a source privy to the developments, who mentioned that the board had informed that discussions will be had with all the foreign boards and a decision will be taken around July on whether foreign players will be available for the resumption of IPL 2021.
David Warner and Kane Williamson (Image Credit: Twitter)
The BCCI Will Wait Till Around July Before Taking The Next Set Of Decisions On Player Availability: Source
There is an issue with the availability of the foreign players as the England and Wales Board (ECB) director of cricket Ashley Giles had mentioned that the ECB will not allow its players to play in the second half of the tournament which will be held in the UAE, due to the packed international calendar.
Similarly, it was reported that Pat Cummins and possibly other Australian cricketers are not willing to come back to IPL 2021, given the issue with their return from India via the Maldives and that they had to undergo hard quarantine in Australia as well, which ended yesterday.
Jos Buttler (Image Credit: Twitter)
“The board has decided to discuss the issue with all the foreign boards involved over the next few weeks and will also give them adequate time to discuss the matter internally and inform the BCCI on whether players can be made available for the resumption of the 14th edition of IPL in UAE in September. The Indian board will wait till around July before taking the next set of decisions on player availability,” the source explained to ANI.
“Once the foreign boards come back on the matter of player availability, the BCCI will then discuss the matter with the franchises and make them aware of the scenario. In case some foreign players aren’t available for the tournament, the franchise will be allowed to rope in a replacement in the same manner in which injury replacements are picked under normal circumstances,” the source added.
The BCCI also informed the state associations in SGM that Emirates Cricket Board has already given consent to playing host for the completion of the IPL in the September-October window.
