Australia's Adam Zampa and Kane Richardson are returning home from the Indian Premier League (IPL) for "personal reasons", the pair's franchise Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) said in a statement on Monday.
"Adam Zampa & Kane Richardson are returning to Australia for personal reasons and will be unavailable for the remainder of #IPL2021. Royal Challengers Bangalore management respects their decision and offers them complete support," said RCB in their tweet.
Fast bowler Richardson played one match this season in which he took one wicket while Zampa leaves without a game.
Earlier, Rajasthan Royals fast bowler Andrew Tye left India for home. Glenn Maxwell, who also plays for RCB and is the team's highest run scorer thus far, is among 14 Australians still taking in the league which includes Steve Smith (Delhi Capitals), David Warner (SunRisers Hyderabad), Pat Cummins (Kolkata Knight Riders), Glenn Maxwell (Royal Challengers Bangalore) are among the 17 Aussies taking part in the IPL. Tye's departure has left 16 Aussies in the league.
Josh Hazlewood (Chennai Super Kings), Mitch Marsh (Sunrisers Hyderabad) and Josh Philippe (Royal Challengers Bangalore) had already withdrawn from IPL prior to the start of the tournament.
Several Australian cricketers are looking to leave the Indian Premier League (IPL) due to fears that they will be locked of their country following rising Covid-19 cases in India.
The Sydney Morning Herald (SMH) on Monday reported that many Australian players are 'nervous about securing safe passage back home after the [Scott] Morrison government (Australian government) reduced the number of incoming passengers allowed from India'.
India is enduring a tough phase in the pandemic, with around 3.5 lakh daily Covid-19 cases and inadequate medical facilities. Monday saw yet another day of over 3.5 lakh new cases with over 2800 deaths.
