BCCI pressures foreign boards to send players to IPL 2025, some still ‘worried’: report

The BCCI and the IPL franchise have put pressure on foreign boards to ensure that their players return on May 17 to resume the league in view of some security concerns in view of India-Pakistan military enmity. BCCI’s top brass has directed IPL COO Hemang Amin to fulfill the concerns for the choice of Cricket Australia and England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) personally that may be about the players to return to India.

All 10 teams include the government with their foreign recruitments on their arrival plans a day after the required security approval from the government.

The world’s largest T20 league was suspended on 9 May due to India-Pakistan military performance, which began with a terrorist attack in Pahgam on 22 April. A day after its suspension, a ceasefire was announced between the two countries, paving the way for the IPL to resume.

A BCCI official told PTI on Tuesday, “We are personally talking to foreign boards, while the teams are working directly with their players. We expect most of them to return from them.”

The CA has left the players to decide about its participation and in cases like these, the players’ association is to play the role.

On the other hand, team officials told PTI that some foreign players were keen to return, but most of them should return before the tournament resumes.

CSK CEO Kasi Vishwanathan said, “The revised schedule was announced last night. We have started contacting our foreign players on our availability. We will have a clear picture till tomorrow morning. Anyway, our game is on 20 May. We have enough time.”

Foreign players of CSK include Devon Conway, Rachin Rabindra, Sam Curan, Jamie Overton, Noor Ahmed and Mathesh Pathirana.

Stoinis is unlikely to return; Cummins is ready to fly back

In Punjab Kings, Australian all-rounder Marcus Stoinis and compatriot Josh England cannot return to India, although head coach Ricky Ponting is trying his best to convince him.

Fellow with Afghanistan’s Azmatullah Omrajai and South African Marco Jansen are expected to return to Australian Xavier Bartlett and Aaron Hardy.

The team is to reach their first play-off since 2014.

After the declaration of ceasefire last week, Ponting has already talked through de-boarding from a home-bound plane. The team’s assistant staff, including Brad Hadin and James Hopes, never left India.

Players of Punjab Kings and Delhi capitals did a concerned road and train journey from Delhi to Delhi on 8 May, which was called from midway due to an alert of an airstrikes in neighboring border areas.

“Foreign players were scared at that time, and understand. The BCCI showed that the safety of the players is paramount to ensure that they all returned home safely.

A IPL official said, “Now the situation has improved, players should return. However, some of them are still on the shore.”

Like CSK, Sunrisers Hyderabad has also been removed from the competition, but the franchise hopes to return to Captain Pat Cummins and Travis Head that they will return to the remaining three league games.

A team official said, “We are confident that most of the foreign players will return with the captain.”

Delhi Capital, which remains in controversy for the top-four places, contacted his foreign players on Tuesday morning and waiting to listen to them. Australian Pesar Michelle Stark is one of the dC of DC.

A team official said, “We hope they all will return. We will learn more by tomorrow.”

The IPL final is originally scheduled for 25 May, which has been pushed back on 3 June.

The World Test Championship Final between Australia and South Africa is scheduled at Lord’s from June 11, leaving time for a very short time for Australian and South African people who decide to participate in the IPL play-off.