Stranded Aussie cricketers leave Covid-hit India for Maldives

The vast majority of Australia’s 38-strong Indian Premier League contingent has departed for the Maldives, beginning their long and indirect journey home from the aborted Twenty20 tournament.

Cricket Australia and the Australian Cricketers’ Association confirmed on Thursday night that players, coaches, officials and commentators were en route from India to the Maldives.

But Mike Hussey, who is an assistant coach at Chennai Super Kings, was unable to travel with the group as he continues to serve a 10-day isolation period in a Delhi hotel after testing positive for Covid-19.

“Mike is experiencing mild symptoms and is in the care of his IPL franchise, the Chennai Super Kings,” CA and the ACA said in a joint statement. “CA and the ACA will work closely with the BCCI to ensure Mike’s safe return to Australia when it is safe to do so.”

The Board of Control for Cricket in India BCCI and franchises are overseeing arrangements for outbound players after the IPL was halted because of Covid-19 cases among players and staff.

The BCCI has signed off on plans for those from England, New Zealand, South Africa, the West Indies and other parts of the world to fly out. However, Australians are unable to return home until 15 May because of the federal government’s ban on all incoming travellers from coronavirus-ravaged India.

The length of the Australian contingent’s stopover in the Maldives, where Australian commentator Michael Slater fled to earlier this week, may be determined during a meeting of Australia’s national cabinet on Friday.

The worst-case scenario for Pat Cummins and compatriots would be an extension of the ban on travellers from India, meaning they would need to spend a fortnight in the Maldives then a further two weeks in Australia’s hotel quarantine system.

But it appears that is unlikely to happen, with Prime Minister Scott Morrison widely expected to end the ban on 15 May. Any Australia-bound charter flight for the cricketers would need to be approved by the federal government.

The slanging match between Slater, whose frustration and anxiety is shared by many Australians involved in the IPL, and Morrison’s government continued on Thursday.

Agriculture Minister David Littleproud accused Slater of “acting like a spoilt prat” after the former Test batsman tweeted Morrison had “blood” on his hands and should take his “private jet and come and witness dead bodies on the street [in India]”.

“I understand his frustration and I understand his deep concern for the people of India,” Morrison said on Thursday. ACA chief executive Todd Greenberg admitted on Wednesday the travel ban had created anxiety among Australians involved in the IPL.

“They’re human beings, some of them are fathers and husbands,” Greenberg said. “They’re under enormous amounts of stress.”