Swashbuckling all-rounder Glenn Maxwell wants to return home safe and secure after the conclusion of the 14th edition of the Indian Premier League. He said that he won’t mind the fact boarding the same chartered flight that would take India and New Zealand players to the United Kingdom for the ICC Test Championship final.
As per a senior BCCI option, the option could be feasible and can be explored given the stringent travel guidelines during the last week of May. All commercial flights from India to Australia has been suspended at the moment due to the rapid surge in COVID cases in India.
“We just want to find a way to go home. The BCCI, both governments can work a solution. If we have to wait bit longer, so be it but there is a way to get home at some stage,” Maxwell was quoted as saying in “The Final World Podcast” which was conducted by renowned journalists Geoff Lemon and Adam Collins.
“India and England are going to play in England. Worst comes to worst, we have to wait in England and try and find a way out in that chartered (flight) and get out of India. I am sure a lot of guys will try and put their hand up in trying to do that as well,” Maxwell said.
The Indian and the New Zealand players who are part of the Test squad for the ICC Test Championship final slated to be played in Southampton from 18th June is expected to fly out to England together in the same flights.
The English players part of the league might also travel with the Indian and the New Zealand players on the same flight. BCCI treasurer Arun Dhumal said that all the possibilities are being looked at to ensure that the foreign players can safely fly back to their respective countries in times of strict travel restrictions.
“Travelling to England and going to Australia from there could be an option that can be explored. There will be various options and obviously, BCCI will try and take the safest one which doesn’t compromise any of the players’ health and security,” Dhumal was quoted as saying by PTI.
Maxwell just wants to make sure that they manage to travel back home safe and secure. He wants to figure out the safest route that the players can avail following the conclusion of the IPL. Currently, there are 14 Australian players remaining in the league with three pulling out.
“Once IPL finishes and potentially the bubble will be broken, you don’t want to be stuck here, just try and look for the safest way to move on,” the ‘Big Show’ said. “It’s something I floated to Vinnie (fiancee), if things go extremely south, a whole lot worse, what are we actually supposed to do if there is no help? I am sure there will be help from BCCI to accommodate the overseas players at the moment,” he added.