Jonny Bairstow of the Sunrisers Hyderabad, Dawid Malan of the Punjab Kings, and Chris Woakes of the Delhi Capitals have all withdrawn from the forthcoming Indian Premier League ( IPL) due to personal reasons.
COVID-19 instances in the visitors' camp caused IPL teams to create their own arrangements. The fifth Test between India and England has also been postponed indefinitely when a junior physiotherapist, Yogesh Parmar, tested positive for the virus before the match. After testing positive for the virus during the fourth Test at the Oval, several members of India's support staff, including head Ravi Shastri, were already quarantined.
All players coming in Dubai must now undergo a six-day quarantine, which might be the reason for Bairstow and Malan's withdrawal. Bairstow and Malan will not be playing in the IPL when it resumes on September 19, according to a BCCI official. Woakes' absence was noted by The Guardian.
"They won't be boarding the flight to UAE. One of the reasons for their pull out is the six-day quarantine which they didn't need to do earlier," said the official. While Bairstow is a regular in the Sunrisers line-up, world number one T20 batsman Malan made his IPL debut with Kings earlier this year. Aiden Markram has been named his replacement.
"Malan will be taking some time off to be with his family ahead of the #T20WorldCup and Ashes," tweeted Punjab Kings. Bairstow had made 248 runs at strike rate of 141 plus in seven games earlier this season. Bairstow, Woakes and Malan were part of England's Test squad in Manchester. Bubble life has taken a toll on players and with the T20 World Cup to follow in UAE, not playing the IPL would allow more family time to Bairstow, Woakes and Malan.
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