Players Who Have Opted to Pull Out of The VIVO IPL 2021 Phase 2
Phase 2 of the Indian Premier League (IPL) is just less than a month away and more details on the biggest cricket tournament each year are being revealed. Every cricket fans already know the matches will kick off on September 19 and the finals will be on October 15 in the UAE. More reports also reveal that there are now a few players who will miss the rest of the season.
The VIVO IPL 2021 started in April in India with a full schedule. However, it had to be suspended in May because of the rising COVID-19 cases in India. The IPL bio-secure bubble too was breached and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) decided to suspend the rest of the tournament for everyone’s safety.
Many fans are just happy to know that the BCCI was able to find a window on the busy cricket calendar. However, some are still quite unhappy as some of their favorite cricketers have already confirmed that they will be missing the second leg of the season. With this, punters will also have to consider the changes before they place a bet on The best IPL betting app.
Players Who We Won’t See on the IPL Stage Next Month
Australian cricketer and Kolkata Knight Rider’s fast bowler, Pat Cummins have already talked about how he is unlikely to return to the IPL next month during one of his YouTube live sessions. This is even after the BCCI has already confirmed the availability of the Australian players. It is still up to the players if they would like to participate in the tournament and Cummins is clear about missing this.
On the video, he said, “Unfortunately, at this stage, I probably won’t be going to the IPL. I haven’t made an official call on it. But my partner is pregnant and our baby is due in the middle of the IPL.
“At the moment, there is a travel restriction to get back to Australia, you got to do 2 weeks quarantine. There is probably going to be some days quarantine going to UAE. So, it’s going to be tough to go and play there.”
Another Australian player missing out on the second phase of the season is Royal Challengers Bangalore’s leg-spinner Adam Zampa who has pulled out of the tournament earlier this year to prioritize his wellbeing and mental health.
The 29-year-old cricketer said that he’d rather opt out of the tournament than leaving halfway through it as it will be a financial sacrifice. Zampa said, “From my point of view, I wanted to put my mental health first.
“The COVID situation over here is pretty dire. I just felt, rocking up to training and stuff I wasn’t playing in the team as well, I was going to training and I wasn’t finding the motivation. [There were] a few other things like bubble fatigue and the chance to get home, once all the news broke about the flights and everything. I thought this was the best time to make the call.”
Another player has also disclosed the same reason as to why he won’t be joining the league next month. Royal Challengers’ all-rounder Daniel Sims has also already opted out of the season to prioritize his mental health. In April, Sams was reported to have tested positive even before the season began.
Two more Australian players have refused to take part in the second leg of the IPL too. Punjab Kings will be missing both Jay Richardson and Riley Meredith in the UAE. A Punjab Kings official announced this and said, “Jay Richardson and Riley Meredith have decided to stay out of the remaining IPL 14 matches. We are looking for replacements for both these players. Replacements will be decided upon the advice of coach Anil Kumble.”
On Thursday, Punjab Kings then signed Australian cricketer Nathan Ellis as a replacement. No information is disclosed as to how much Ellis was purchased by the team. A second replacement is still needed and Punjab Kings is still looking for one.
Rajasthan Royals’ star opener and wicket-keeper batsman Jos Buttler. Like Cummins, Buttler is also expecting a child with his wife soon. Rajasthan Royals made the announcement themselves via Twitter. They wrote, “Jos Buttler will not be part of the remainder of #IPL2021, as he and Louise are expecting a second child soon. We wish them well, and can’t wait for the newest member of the #RoyalsFamily.”
