Australia fast bowler Mitchell Starc is among several overseas players who won't return for the resumption of the Indian Premier League this weekend, while England's Jos Buttler will miss the playoff stage due to the revised schedule.
The IPL resumes on Saturday with Virat Kohli’s Royal Challengers Bengaluru facing Kolkata Knight Riders in Bengaluru. The tournament had been paused for a week amid escalating tensions between India and Pakistan, which included missile exchanges. Following a ceasefire and government approval, the league is set to continue, with all 17 remaining matches now compressed into a tighter window. The revised schedule pushes the final to June 3 — nine days later than originally planned.
This extension overlaps with various international commitments. England will be hosting Zimbabwe and the West Indies, Bangladesh is touring Pakistan, and the World Test Championship final between Australia and South Africa is set to begin on June 11 at Lord’s.
Cricket South Africa has denied its players extended no-objection certificates, and they must return home after May 25. Cricket West Indies has granted extended NOCs to its players until the IPL's end on June 3.
Starc, the Delhi Capitals' leading wicket-taker, has told the team he will not return. Neither will Australia and Delhi teammate Jake Fraser-McGurk.
Starc and Fraser-McGurk are understood to have been shaken by the abrupt suspension of the league. They were part of the Delhi-Punjab Kings match in Dharamsala on May 8, which was abandoned after 10.1 overs amid air raid alarms in a security blackout in north-west India.
Fast bowler Josh Hazlewood, also in Australia's WTC final squad, is rehabbing a shoulder niggle in Brisbane and will rejoin Bengaluru for the knockouts.
Australia skipper Pat Cummins and opening batter Travis Head will rejoin Sunrisers Hyderabad, despite the team out of playoffs contention.
Buttler has scored 500 runs in 11 games for the league-leading Gujarat Titans, including five half-centuries. The Titans have signed Sri Lanka's Kusal Mendis for about $90,000 as Buttler's replacement in the knockouts. Mendis will make his maiden IPL appearance, having played in the Pakistan Super League for Quetta Gladiators until the PSL was also suspended on May 7.
Bengaluru's English players Will Jacks, Liam Livingstone and Jacob Bethell have already returned. But countrymen Jofra Archer and allrounders Sam Curran and Jamie Overton won't be returning. Their teams, Rajasthan and Chennai, can't make the knockouts.
In light of players' unavailability, IPL officials have allowed franchises to sign players on short-term contracts for the remainder of the league, but these players cannot be retained ahead of the 2026 season.
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Punjab signed New Zealand's Kyle Jamieson for about $230,000 in place of compatriot Lockie Ferguson, who injured a hamstring.
Lucknow Super Giants brought in New Zealand pacer Will O'Rourke for about $350,000 to replace pacer Mayank Yadav, who injured his back and was out for the season.