Australia’s Starc opts out of return to IPL: reports

NEW DELHI: Australian fast bowler Mitchell Starc will not return to the disrupted Indian Premier League, reports said Friday, while England´s former white-ball captain Jos Buttler will leave before the playoffs.

The world´s richest cricket tournament was suspended last week because of a brief but deadly conflict between nuclear-armed neighbours India and Pakistan. The competition will resume Saturday but faces losing several top stars for the closing stages because of clashes with the schedules of international teams including 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. South African players also look set to miss the playoff phase should their teams get there.

South Africa has said its players must leave India by May 26 so they can prepare for the WTC final. “As it stands, we´re not budging on this,” coach Shukri Conrad said this week. Buttler to leave extended IPL early for England duty

England´s former white-ball captain Jos Buttler will leave the rescheduled Indian Premier League before the playoffs so he can be available for his country, likely to be the first of several early departures.

In a blow to the Gujarat Titans, the wicketkeeper will skip the playoffs should they get there, which seems highly likely because they top the 10-team table. Gujarat said that Buttler will be replaced by the Sri Lankan Kusal Mendis, who will make his debut in the IPL.

The richest tournament in cricket was suspended last week because of a brief conflict between nuclear-armed neighbours India and Pakistan. Four days of drone, missile and artillery exchanges from May 7 left nearly 70 people, including dozens of civilians, dead on both sides.

The IPL will resume on Saturday after a truce but the schedule has been thrown off kilter, with the playoffs now starting May 29 and the final moved back to June 3. That means the closing stages clash with England´s home ODI series against the West Indies, with Buttler among five England players in the one-day squad contracted to IPL teams.

Mendis will officially replace Buttler on May 26, allowing the Englishman to be available for the first match against the West Indies three days later. 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. Some South African and Australian players also look set to miss the playoff phase should their IPL teams get there.

The two countries contest the World Test Championship final on June 11 at Lord´s and will start their preparations at the end of this month. South Africa has said its players must leave India by May 26. “As it stands, we´re not budging on this,” coach Shukri Conrad said this week.