New Zealand cricketers in India could miss out on the World Test Championship Final unless the UK government grants them an exemption to enter the country.
Kane Williamson and David Warner in full PPE on a flight to Delhi for India Premier League. Photo: Twitter / cricket.com.au
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There are currently 10 New Zealand players competing in the Indian Premier League. At least four of them are part of the Black Caps test team due to fly on to England at the end of May, the others will head home.
However, England is not taking arrivals from India, and flights out of the Covid-19-ravaged country are extremely hard to come by.
Players Association boss Heath Mills told Checkpoint's Nick Truebridge none of the players had been vaccinated, so they were hoping for the best.
"Currently the players returning to New Zealand are on flights booked at the conclusion of the IPL to come home and they have their vouchers for managed isolation," he said.
"Obviously though in recent weeks we've seen some countries' border situation change and close, so that's a watching brief, it's a fluid situation, and we just need to keep looking at that.
"And if this situation changes and players need to change flights or need to come through different countries, then that's something we need to look at," he said.
"[The] good news is that New Zealand citizens can return to New Zealand … so hopefully the flights will be fine and they can go through the UAE and return to New Zealand when their IPL commitments conclude.
"Flights are booked by the IPL franchises in India, they're currently booked for when the IPL finishes. We'll try and bring those if a player's team doesn't make the final series and they're knocked out after the round robin."
Mills acknowledged there were logistical challenges, particularly as the United Arab Emirates was not allowing flights from India.
"I always expect nothing to go smoothly… we just need to keep communicating and if the IPL runs its course then we're going to need to deal with those issues as they arise at the time but as we experienced last year, it could take some time.
"We hope it doesn't, and we will work with New Zealand Cricket in any way we can to try and make those logistical exercises go as smooth as possible."
Mills said NZ Cricket was working with other cricket boards about moving players internationally.
"It's not just our players, it's English players and obviously the Indian team as well needs to travel to the UK for the final.
"Those parties are all working on how they transfer the players and do it in a secure bubble.
"Whether that's a single plane … that everyone's on – they're working through that at the moment.
"Nothing's been finalised. I just know that they're all working at the moment on how they transfer the players to the UK, and that's a reasonable group when you consider the Indian team will also be involved."
He understood the planned final would still be going ahead in the UK.
"We've obviously got our two test matches against England prior to that match anyway, so I can't see any changes there, I'm sure that the event will still go on in the UK."
There is an extended squad going to the UK, so Mills said he was confident there would be enough players on the ground if a player could not get there after the IPL.
"I've been in regular contact with the players and they're all anxious about what they see happening on the ground in India, clearly, as we all are from here. It's a terrible situation unfolding with Covid-19 in India, but they are well looked after.
"The IPL teams are doing a great job. They feel safe in their hotel bubbles, so at the moment they are okay. But they understand they're international cricketers and their job is playing cricket. They knew before going they'd be going on to England, and there could well be some challenges on the way."