As the nation temporarily halts arrivals from India, Mumbai Indians opener Chris Lynn has urged Cricket Australia (CA) to arrange for a chartered flight to carry Australians home at the end of the ongoing IPL.
Lynn was speaking before Prime Minister Scott Morrison declared a ban on direct flights - both commercial and government repatriation - from India until May 15, as well as the use of connecting flights (such as via Doha or Dubai) into the country.
"I texted back that as Cricket Australia make 10% of every IPL contract, was there a chance we could spend that money this year on a charter flight once the tournament is over?" Lynn told one of the Australian news Agency.
When asked explicitly about the cricketers in India, Morrison said that if repatriation flights resumed later in May, they would not receive preferential treatment. The IPL group stage will end on May 23, followed by the final on May 30.
He said, ”This wasn't part of an Australian tour," he said. "They're under their own resources. And they'll be using those resources to, I'm sure, to see them return to Australia in accordance with their own arrangements.”
Lynn hoped that once the other Australian players, including David Warner, Steven Smith, Marcus Stoinis, Jhye Richardson, and Riley Meredith, finished the IPL, "the government would let us get home on a private charter," particularly because they were "getting vaccinated next week."
Cricket Australia is known to be weighing the implications of today's decision, but a charter flight is not currently a viable choice. They, as well as the Australian coaching staff, broadcasters, and analysts working on the game, have been in close communication with CA and the Australian Cricketers' Association.
He said,"I know there are people worse off than us. But we are going from a really tight bubble and are getting vaccinated next week so hopefully the government will let us get home on a private charter”.
Let us remind you couple of players had already left IPL due to their personal reasons.