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Aussie IPL stars wait for return date

Rob ForsaithAAP
Pat Cummins is one of the stars waiting for the government's decision on when they can return home.
Camera IconPat Cummins is one of the stars waiting for the government's decision on when they can return home. Credit: AAP

Prime Minister Scott Morrison has confirmed repatriation flights out of India will resume on May 15 as Australia's Indian Premier League contingent wait to see when they might return.

The ongoing wait comes after South Africa's director of cricket Graeme Smith, still furious about Australia's recent reluctance to play in his homeland, accused some players of having "double standards".

Morrison announced on Friday morning three flights would be arranged this month for vulnerable Australians in coronavirus-ravaged India.

However, the federal government is yet to make a call regarding commercial flights.

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That issue is likely to be discussed at Friday's national cabinet meeting.

A group of 38 Australian cricketers, coaches, officials and commentators involved in the IPL are trying to make their way home after the Twenty20 tournament was halted because of COVID-19 cases among players and staff.

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The majority of the group shifted from India to the Maldives via Thursday's charter flight, which was arranged by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).

Mike Hussey, who is an assistant coach at Chennai Super Kings, was unable to travel with the group as he continues to serve a 10-day isolation period in India after testing positive for COVID-19.

Current rules stipulate that Australia's IPL continent must spend a fortnight in the Maldives before flying home.

But further adjustments to the travel ban, which is currently the subject of a legal challenge, could clear them to fly out earlier.

Cricket Australia (CA) chief executive Nick Hockley made it clear on Wednesday his organisation will not seek special exemptions for the IPL group.

Any Australia-bound charter flight for the cricketers would need to be approved by the federal government.

The saga comes several months after CA postponed a Test tour of South Africa on safety grounds.

Hockley declared at the time the trip would pose "an unacceptable level of health and safety risk to our players, support staff and the community".

England also decided, mid tour, to abort a series in South Africa.

"You see some of those (Australian and English) players sitting there at the IPL and not making any noise," Smith told reporters, having fumed publicly and passionately at the time of CA's decision.

"Here ... you see things differently. There's a version of double standards."

Smith added Cricket South Africa recently had a "fair few intense discussions" with CA as they seek to reschedule the Test series.

Hockley, speaking earlier this week prior to the IPL being halted, noted the "tour of South Africa is a different set of circumstances".

"That is representing the national team and we at Cricket Australia have a direct duty of care," he told SEN.

"The players have made their own decision to go and compete in the IPL on their own time. But of course, we're very concerned for their safety."

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