CA releases statement on Australian players' uncertainty of returning for IPL 2025 ahead of WTC final vs South Africa
Cricket Australia (CA) has released a statement on Australian players' availability for the remainder of the IPL 2025 season. The league was suspended temporarily for a week but is all set to resume on Saturday, May 17, with a revised schedule.
Amid the suspension, several overseas players, including Australians, flew back home and it is uncertain whether they will return for the resumption of the tournament. Notably, the final is now set to be played on Tuesday, June 3. Meanwhile, Australia are set to play the World Test Championship (WTC) final against South Africa starting Wednesday, June 11.
This puts a question mark on whether the Australian players in the WTC final squad will return for the remainder of IPL 2025. CA, in a statement, has said that it will support players' individual decisions on whether to return to India or not.
Additionally, for players who choose to go back for the remainder of the IPL 2025 season, the management will work through preparation implications for the WTC final.
"Cricket Australia will support players in their indiviual decisions whether to return to India or not. Team management will work through the preparation implications for the World Test Championship Final for those players who choose to play in the remaining IPL matches," the statement read.
IPL 2025 to resume with RCB vs KKR on May 17
As mentioned earlier, the IPL 2025 season will resume on Saturday, May 17, with Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) taking on Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) at the Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru. RCB are second in the points table while KKR sit in the sixth position.
The likes of Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, Pat Cummins, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Marcus Stoinis, and Tim David are among the Australian players taking part in the ongoing season. With Cricket Australia having left the choice of returning up to the players, it will be interesting to see how many choose to do so. Notably, the likes of Starc, Cummins, and Hazlewood will be key for Australia in the WTC final, as they form the core of their pace attack.