IPL 2025: BCCI stays tight-lipped on foreign players' return; franchises confirm their arrival to India

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has remained tight-lipped about the participation of foreign players in the remaining matches of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025, which is set to resume on May 17, after a week-long suspension because of India-Pakistan conflict. 

The BCCI has left it all to the franchises to share details about the return of the players, who departed for their respective countries following the suspension of the League on May 9 after Pakistan launched missiles and drone attacks at many places along the border. The attacks were thwarted by the Indian defence system, but the BCCI decided to suspend the league as a precautionary measure.

The IPL 2025 will resume at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru on May 17, with Royal Challengers Bengaluru taking on Kolkata Knight Riders, with the final slated to take place on June 3. "We are not in a position to comment at the moment. The franchises are better placed to provide details about who is coming and who isn't," a BCCI official told IANS.

Meanwhile, Gujarat Titans' two overseas players - England batter Jos Buttler and South Africa pacer Gerald Coetzee - are likely to rejoin the squad on Wednesday.

As per a ESPNcricinfo report, they were the only two overseas players from the GT squad who left India after the IPL was suspended for a week on May 9. The rest of the overseas players — Rashid Khan, Sherfane Rutherford, Kagiso Rabada and Karim Janat — remained in India with the squad.

The Australian duo of Pat Cummins and Travis Head are also expected to join the Sunrisers Hyderabad squad ahead of the resumption of the IPL 2025 on May 17. Both players have communicated their decision to the franchise.

Both players were included in Australia's Test squad for the World Test Championship final against South Africa at Lord's, starting June 11. This raised doubts about their return to the IPL, especially since SRH were already out of the playoff race. The decision to resume the season came on May 11, following the ceasefire between India and Pakistan. "Pat has a responsibility as captain of the franchise and is looking at returning," Cummins' manager Neil Maxwell told News Corp on Tuesday.

Most of the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) overseas players are expected to arrive in Bengaluru between Wednesday and Thursday.

Following the announcement of the suspension of IPL for a week because of the fighting between India and Pakistan, many Australian players returned home. But an announcement of a ceasefire between the nuclear-armed neighbours has created a situation where the Australian players, coaching staff and commentators have decisions to make whether they would like to join the tournament or stay home.

However, Cricket Australia have left it to the individual players to take a call on whether to return to India to rejoin the world's richest league. "Cricket Australia will support players in their individual decisions whether to return to India or not. We are maintaining communication with the Australian Government and BCCI around security arrangements and safety," CA said in a statement on Tuesday.

Picture Courtesy: IANS