New Delhi, May 13: The BCCI and IPL franchises have ramped up pressure on foreign boards to ensure that their players return for the league's resumption on May 17 despite some lingering safety concerns in the wake of India-Pakistan military hostilities. The BCCI top brass has instructed IPL COO Hemang Amin to individually speak to the likes of Cricket Australia (CA) and England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) to allay the concerns that the players may have about returning to India. IPL 2025: Punjab Kings to Resume Training On May 15; Availability of Marco Jansen, Josh Inglis Still Uncertain.

All the 10 teams are involved in a lot of back and forth with their overseas recruits over their arrival plans in India a day after the IPL announced the revised schedule following necessary security clearances from the government. The world's biggest T20 league was suspended on May 9 due to an India-Pakistan military showdown, triggered by the April 22 terrorist attack in Pahalgam, south Kashmir. A day after its suspension, a ceasefire between the two countries was announced, paving the way for IPL's resumption.

"We have been speaking to the foreign boards individually while teams are directly dealing with their players. We expect majority of them to return," a BCCI official told PTI on Tuesday. CA has left it on the players to decide on their participation and in matters like these, the players' association has a role to play as well.

Team officials, on the other hand, told PTI that some of the foreign players remain anxious to return but majority of them should come back before the tournament resumes. "The revised scheduled was announced last night. We have just started contacting our foreign players over their availability. We will have a clearer picture by tomorrow morning. Anyway our game is on May 20. We have enough time," said CSK CEO Kasi Viswanathan.

CSK's foreign players include Devon Conway, Rachin Ravindra, Sam Curran, Jamie Overton, Noor Ahmad and Matheesha Pathirana.

Afghanistan's Ahmad and Pathirana from Sri Lanka are set to join the team while there are doubts over the availability of their New Zealand players.

Pat Cummins, Travis Head Set to Return; Jos Buttler caught in IPL vs Country Conundrum

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Jos Buttler, who has contributed immensely to Gujarat Titans' campaign at number three this season, will now need to choose between IPL and his England commitments after being named in the ODI squad for the series against West Indies beginning at home on May 29.England players had been given NOCs for the entirety of the IPL but now with the tournament extended till June 3 instead of the final originally scheduled for May 25, those need to be reviewed. As per the revised IPL schedule, the league stage ends on May 27.

Also included in the England ODI squad are Jacob Bethell and Will Jacks, who are part of RCB and Mumbai Indians respectively. Like GT, both RCB and Mumbai Indians are in race for the play-offs.

"We're keen to support the IPL and the BCCI in getting the schedule up and running, and to facilitate players' return should they choose to go back," an ECB spokesperson told PTI on Tuesday.

"No Objection Certificates have been granted based on the original IPL dates, so we'll need to review any potential extensions, particularly in relation to any clash with the final white-ball squad," the spokesperson added.

Stoinis Unlikely to Fly Back to India

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At Punjab Kings, Australian all-rounder Marcus Stoinis and compatriot Josh Inglis may not return to India, though head coach Ricky Ponting is trying his best to convince them. Fellow Aussies Xavier Bartlett and Aaron Hardie along with Afghanistan's Azmatullah Omarzai and South African Marco Jansen are expected to return. The team is on course to reach its first play-offs since 2014.

Ponting has already walked the talk by de-boarding from a home-bound plane after the ceasefire announcement last week. The team's support staff, including Brad Haddin and James Hopes, never left India. The players of Punjab Kings and Delhi Capitals made a rather anxious road and train journey from Dharamsala to Delhi after the May 8 game in the picturesque town was called off midway due to the air raid alerts in neighbouring border areas.

"The foreign players were scared at that time and understandably so. The BCCI showed the safety of the players is paramount by ensuring they all got back home safely. Now the situation has got better, the players should return. However, some of them still remain on the edge," said an IPL official.

Like CSK, SunRisers Hyderabad are also eliminated from the competition but the franchise is expecting captain Pat Cummins and batter Travis Head to return for the remaining three league games. "We are confident that majority of foreign players will return including the captain," said a team official.

Delhi Capitals, who remain in contention for a top-four spot, contacted their overseas players on Tuesday morning and are waiting to hear back from them. Australian pacer Mitchell Starc is among DC's key players. "We hope that all of them return. We will know more by tomorrow," said a team official. Will Phil Salt Be Available For RCB in Remainder of IPL 2025 League Stage Matches and Play-Off? Here's What We Know.

The IPL final originally scheduled for May 25 has been pushed back to June 3.

The World Test Championship (WTC) final between Australia and South Africa is scheduled from June 11 at the Lord's, leaving very little turnaround time for their players who decide to take part in the IPL play-offs.

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