New Zealand cricketers are happy to remain in India to play in the IPL, although there is concern about how they can travel to England after the tournament from Covid-ravaged India.
The IPL has come under threat of being cancelled due to the rampant increase of the virus in India, which has already led to five non-NZ international players calling it quits and heading home.
There are ten Kiwis in the IPL - Kane Williamson, Trent Boult, Kyle Jamieson, Finn Allen Mitchell Santner, Tim Seifert, Adam Milne, Jimmy Neesham, Scott Kuggeleijn, and Lockie Ferguson.
New Zealand Cricket Players Association CEO Heath Mills told 1 NEWS today many of the New Zealand cricketers in the tournament were anxious about the situation in India, but said they were safe and happy to keep playing.
"I’ve spoken to some who are anxious about what’s going on, but none have said they want to come home now," Mills said.
"As of today, they’re happy to remain there, but it’s a watching brief with what’s happening with Covid in India at the moment."
Mills described the bio-secure bubble the players were in as much like New Zealand, with players able to move about freely in the hotel environment.
The part that caused anxiety was when teams had to transfer cities and players had to wear full personal protective equipment (PPE) gear.
All of the players had flights and MIQ vouchers booked for the end of the tournament, although Mills admitted there would be logistical challenges if those bookings had to be changed for any reason.
The biggest concern remains how the players involved in the England Test series and World Test Championship final can travel to the United Kingdom next month.
India was added to the UK's travel red list on the weekend, meaning non-British nationals would be unable to enter the country within ten days of having been in India.
There's talk Australia may ban all flights from India, leaving their cricketers stranded, including the likes of Steve Smith, David Warner and Pat Cummins.
Adam Zampa, Kane Richardson and Andrew Tye have already returned to Australia ahead of the ban, and Mills said the players association and New Zealand Cricket would "work hard" to help any of the nine Kiwis if they wished to return home.
SHARE ME