Top Australia and South Africa Players likely to miss initial phase of IPL 2022.
With international commitments clashing with the upcoming edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL), many players who got a contract with IPL franchises will be unavailable for the first few matches of the marquee cricket league.
While the Australian cricket team will be on a tour of Pakistan till April 5 for three Tests, three ODIs and a solitary T20I; Bangladesh will be in South Africa for playing in two Tests and three ODIs against the Proteas till April 12.
For Australia, all the players who are contracted with Cricket Australia (including those who are not even in the squad) will miss the start of the IPL 2022 till the completion of the series against Pakistan.
Big names from Australia set to miss the beginning of IPL
According to CA policy, the contracted Australian players can't play in other tournaments when the national team is playing a series. As a result, the likes of David Warner (DC), Glenn Maxwell (RCB), Pat Cummins (KKR) and Josh Hazlewood (RCB) would be allowed to take part in the tournament post April 5, after the completion of the only T20I in Rawalpindi.
Marcus Stoinis (LSG), Mitchell Marsh (DC), Sean Abbott (SRH), Jason Behrendorff (RCB) and Nathan Ellis (PBKS) - the five IPL-bound players, who have been named in Australia’s squad for three ODIs and the only T20I will take part in the 15th edition of the Indian Premier League after April 5.
"We've worked really hard with our multi-format players over a long period, and not just this (Pakistan) series coming up that leads into the IPL,” Australia chief selector George Bailey was quoted as saying by cricket.com.au.
"One of the things we're really keen to ensure is that we can maintain having our best Australian players playing for Australia for as long as possible in the medium and long-term.”
"We're constantly managing and working with them around their own personal situations to make sure they get what they need, and also that we can continue to get what we need.”
"So from that point of view, the NSP (national selection panel) will continue to be quite pragmatic around how we approach each series," he added.
The remaining players - Matthew Wade (GT), Tim David (MI), Riley Meredith (MI), Daniel Sams (MI) and Nathan Coulter-Nile (RR) would feature in the IPL from the start.
Considering the international schedule, Delhi Capitals will be the most affected IPL franchise with unavailability of their star players -- David Warner, Mitchell Marsh, Anrich Nortje -- for the start of the tournament.
Australia Squad For three ODIs and only T20I vs Pakistan
Aaron Finch (C), Sean Abbott, Ashton Agar, Jason Behrendorff, Alex Carey, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Marnus Labuschagne, Mitchell Marsh, Nathan Ellis, Cameron Green, Ben McDermott, Kane Richardson, Steve Smith, Marcus Stoinis, Adam Zampa
The schedule for IPL 2022 hasn't been revealed yet but considering the addition of two new teams, the season will be extended with 74 matches being scheduled this season.
The season kicks off on March 27 with all the matches to be played in Mumbai and Pune in closed doors considering the COVID-19 pandemic, the BCCI had earlier indicated.
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