Australia's limited-overs captain Aaron Finch believes it will be difficult for players who have pulled out of the tour of West Indies and Bangladesh to justify a return to the IPL when the competition resumes in September.
He confirmed that it was part of a long-term plan to rest David Warner and Pat Cummins from the trips, but he is joined by Glenn Maxwell, Marcus Stoinis, Kane Richardson and Jhye Richardson to stay home. All-rounder Daniel Sams, who caught Covid-19 in India shortly before the start of the IPL, had earlier pulled himself out of contention for selection, while Steven Smith was ruled out with an elbow injury.
Finch said he understands the mental toll that the IPL has taken on players - with Australia facing a complicated journey home due to the border closure - but national selector Trevor Hohns last week spoke about national duty. Said about taking priority later in the year.
Finch told Sen WA, "It's just my personal opinion, I think it will be difficult to justify him going back and playing the second half of the IPL, purely based on the workload that comes with the T20 World Cup." is." Talking to Adam Gilchrist. "It's a difficult situation everyone is placed in, but personally I would find it difficult to know how mentally challenging it is for you and your family."
Although Finch knew he would be without Warner and Cummins in the coming months, he admitted that the number of pullouts overall had "surprised" him. His absence has meant the memory of the first international call-up for Dan Christian, Ben McDermott and Ashton Turner as well as fast bowler Wes Agar. This also means that Finch will not have a first-choice T20 team for a year when the World Cup arrives.
"Pat Cummins and David Warner, it was a long-term plan for them not to go on this tour from the start," he said. "Given the IPL and the Ashes with a T20 World Cup after a big summer last year, for those who are playing the three formats of the game, traveling and playing in a bubble can be so brutal.
"I was a little surprised [along with the others]. I've talked to all of them. A little surprised but also understandable. I know from my point of view that I went to the UK and during the summer all over the house, I know that At the end of that year I was completely ripe mentally. Almost when the season ended it was a huge relief so I could understand, but I wish they were there."
Australia is scheduled to leave for the West Indies tour on June 28 which will consist of five T20Is and three ODIs. He is then scheduled to travel directly to Bangladesh for five more T20 Internationals between August 2 and 10, although those matches are still awaiting final approval around biosecure plans.
Finch will return home and complete his quarantine shortly before his wife Amy gives birth to their first child on September 8. He is expected to be able to stay at home for three or four weeks before starting final preparations for the T20 World Cup. It is due to start in mid-October and can also be relocated to the UAE.
Once he is back and through a two-week quarantine, Finch's home season will begin with domestic cricket in the BBL for the Melbourne Renegades. Australia's limited-overs cricket during the summer is followed by the Ashes to New Zealand and Sri Lanka from late January.