BENGALURU: Australia cricketers landed in England in the last week of August for the ongoing limited-overs series. After the completion of the series on September 16, some of the Aussies and Englishmen, including Pat Cummins, Aaron Finch, Jos Buttler and others, are scheduled to fly directly to the United Arab Emirates for IPL 2020.
While players are used to long tours, this will be a different one as by the time the IPL ends on November 10 and Australians return home, it will be 80 days away from their family.
Australia players have in the past been allowed to carry their family with them on tours, but in the post-COVID world, there are many restrictions in place. In fact, they will also have very little time to spend with their family as Australia are scheduled to play Afghanistan and India in their summer.
Vice-captain Cummins acknowledges the challenge. “In terms of the mental challenge over here, for sure, it is a long tour and when you add the IPL, you probably go on, especially without seeing your families. The important thing is you have to be prepared and come up with a game plan to manage yourself,” said Cummins in a virtual press conference on Saturday.
The challenge does not end there. There are some major protocols in place for the entire duration of the league, where players have to stay inside a bio-secure environment. It is something similar to what the England and Australia players have been following in the current series. In that regard at least, it is not going to be something new.
It is the new norm and players have to get adjusted to the fact of playing without fans and staying in a bio-bubble as well, at least till the COVID-19 situation improves.
The cases in the UAE for the last couple of days have also seen a spike, but Cummins is not too worried about it and is rather confident from what he has heard about the strict measures in place in the UAE.
“In terms of safety, I have got no worries at all, hearing about the length that they have gone to protect the tournament, the players, staff, it is huge. Here in England too, no stones have been left unturned, we feel really safe and I am sure that it is going to be the same in the UAE as well from whatever I have heard. I know it is going to be a bit different to what an IPL normally feels like, but I hope the cricket is the same,” added the Kolkata Knight Riders pacer.
The other challenging factor could be the weather. They have to get used to the heat and humidity in the gulf for the next two months. But, with the likes of Cummins having played in the UAE, against Pakistan last year, he is aware how tough it could get.
“I have played in the UAE when it is super hot and that is a nightmare, so we will see. I do not know exactly how hot and humid it is now,” said Cummins, who will be eager to help his team beat England in the second T20I at Rose Bowl on Sunday after their loss in the first game.