The IPL 2025 is set to resume next week, according to multiple reports. Cricket Australia has pledged to support Australian cricketers who have returned home after the suspension of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025, should they decide not to return when the tournament restarts, possibly later this month.
As reported by The Age, although all Australian players have returned home, there remains a sense of fear and anxiety. Coaching staff members, including Brad Haddin and Ricky Ponting, are still in India.
Following the announcement of a ceasefire between India and Pakistan, other coaches such as Michael Hussey and Justin Langer have also returned home, but they expect to be invited back to complete the tournament, depending on government guidance provided to the Indian board.
Indian media reports on Sunday evening indicated that all IPL teams—except for Punjab Kings (PBKS), who will play at a neutral venue—have been instructed to regroup at their home bases by Tuesday.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and the IPL governing council were scheduled to meet later on Sunday night to discuss the arrangements for resuming the tournament. The remaining 16 matches could begin as early as next weekend.
Australian Players May Skip IPL Resumption Due to Workload Concerns
Mitchell Starc, one of Australia’s top players, refrained from speaking to reporters upon his arrival at Sydney Airport on Sunday. Australian all-rounder Marcus Stoinis, after landing, told Nine News, “Everyone is fine.”
Despite plans to shift the remaining IPL matches to southern Indian cities like Bengaluru and Chennai, some players remain concerned about security. While a few may be open to returning, others are reluctant due to the heavy cricket schedule.
Australia is set to play in the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) 2023-25 final at Lord’s against South Africa. Key players like Travis Head, Pat Cummins, and Josh Hazlewood were hoping to spend time with their families before heading to the UK for the match.
A three-match Test tour of the West Indies is scheduled immediately after the WTC final. Sources suggest that the IPL’s resumption will not extend beyond its current May 24 deadline. However, if it does, all Australian players will require new “No Objection” certificates from Cricket Australia to return.
Australians participating in the Pakistan Super League were also returning home on Sunday, including those who boarded a charter flight to Dubai from an airfield that was reportedly targeted just hours later.
