NEW DELHI: Australian pace spearhead Mitchell Starc has opted not to return to the resumed Indian Premier League (IPL), according to reports on Friday, while England’s former white-ball captain Jos Buttler is set to depart before the playoffs.
The IPL was suspended last week following a brief but intense conflict between nuclear-armed rivals Pakistan and India.
While the tournament is set to restart on Saturday, it is likely to be without several international stars in its final stages due to scheduling conflicts with national commitments for players from Australia, England, and South Africa.
Four days of drone, missile and artillery exchanges from May 7 left around 70 people, including dozens of civilians, dead on both sides of the border.
Starc's Delhi Capitals were playing in Dharamsala when a match was abandoned because of what officials said was floodlight failure.
Dharamsala is less than 200 kilometres (125 miles) from the town of Jammu, where explosions were reported hours earlier the same day.
The stadium was swiftly evacuated and players including the 35-year-old Starc whisked out of the ground in the team bus.
Starc told the Delhi Capitals that he will not return, Australian media reported, freeing him up to focus on the build-up to his country's World Test Championship final against South Africa on June 11 at Lord's.
There was no immediate confirmation from the Delhi team or the IPL.
Australia captain Pat Cummins and star batter Travis Head will both return to India, but the plans of other Australians is unclear.
The league's suspension has thrown its schedule off kilter, with the playoffs now starting later and the final moved back nine days to June 3.
Gujarat Titans top the 10-team table and are almost sure to reach the playoffs starting May 29.
But wicketkeeper Buttler will leave the team after the group stage and will be replaced by the Sri Lankan Kusal Mendis, allowing the Englishman to be available for the first ODI against the West Indies.
England all-rounders Jacob Bethell and Will Jacks, who play for Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Mumbai Indians respectively, are also expected to leave the IPL early, the BBC reported.
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