Players should do their due diligence before they sign agreements: Australian Cricketers’ Association

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) postponed the 14th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) after conducting just 29 matches as a number of players and support staff tested positive for the novel coronavirus. The rescheduling of the league has left the Australian players, support staff, and other officials stranded in India as the Australian government has imposed travel restrictions till May 15.

Cricket Australia (CA) and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) are in constant touch with each other and are trying to work some ways through which all the Australian members can reach their home country safe and sound. It is learned that the players will depart from India for the Maldives or Sri Lanka and will then travel to Australia after the restrictions are removed.

Meanwhile, the Australian Cricketers’ Association (ACA) opined on the whole matter saying that the players should do their homework well and should weigh on all the pros and cons before making a decision regarding their participation in any T20 league across the globe. 

Todd Greenberg, the chief executive of the Australian Cricketers’ Association, reckoned that the world is changing owing to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic and thus the players need to be extra careful while deciding on their participation in the tournaments across the globe.

If anything it sends a message to players about making sure they do their homework: Todd Greenberg

“I’m not sure it will create reticence [in future] but it will ensure players do their due diligence before they sign agreements,” Todd Greenberg, the chief executive of the Australian Cricketers’ Association, was quoted as saying by ESPNCricinfo.

“The world is literally changing before our eyes particularly with Covid and on that side of the world, obviously, those cases are going up exponentially. We’re enjoying our freedoms here in Australia. It is a very different place over there. If anything it sends a message to players about making sure you do your homework before making any decisions,” he added.

While as many as 38 Australian players, support staff, and officials are waiting to fly to their country, three cricket players including the likes of Adam Zampa, Kane Richardson, and Andrew Tye pulled out their names from IPL 2021 before the league was postponed and managed to reach Australia just in time to escape the travel restrictions.