Umpire Paul Reiffel, who is in ICC's Elite Panel, has withdrawn from the 14th edition of the Indian Premier League as coronavirus continues to rage in the country. Reiffel went back due to anxiety about the Australian government not allowing flights from India. The BCCI already had several local umpires as back-up so they will be officiating in games in which Reiffel were scheduled to stand. Along with Reiffel, Nitin Menon also decided to withdraw his name from the tournament. Menon flew home to Indore after his mother and wife tested positive for the virus. Menon and Reiffel are first two match officials to pull out of the league midway. The BCCI was expecting another Australian umpire, Rod Tucker to fly to India for IPL but he too has informed the board that he won’t be making it to the sub-continent due to personal reasons.
Already a number of players like, Andrew Tye, Kane Richardson and Adam Zampa flew back due to the fear of not being able to get home if they stayed longer in India. England player Liam Livingstone pulled out citing ‘bubble fatigue’ while India off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin took a break to be with his family, fighting the virus. The COVID-19 pandemic has gripped India and the country has been reporting more than 3,00,000 new cases every day. This is the most number of cases being reported since the pandemic broke out in 2020. Meanwhile, IPL COO Hemang Amin has assured all players and support staff that the BCCI will ensure their smooth return at the end of the league. In a letter to the players and support staff, accessed by , Hemang addressed the apprehension and concerns of the cricketers. He said that the tournament isn't over for the BCCI till every player reaches home safely. He also pointed that the bio-bubbles are being further strengthened with an eye on the coronavirus situation.
