One of the finest cricketers of his generation, Mitchell Johnson is one of the few players to have won multiple Indian Premier League (IPL) titles. He did so during his stint with the Mumbai Indians in 2013 and 2017. Despite witnessing the highs of lifting the IPL trophy twice, Johnson has urged Pat Cummins and other Australian stars not to return to the T20 league as it resumes on May 17, after a week-long disruption due to the Indo-Pak conflict.
“While Cricket Australia has empowered players to make their own decisions, the weight of those choices can be heavy. Opting not to play could lead to disappointment or even professional and financial repercussions down the track, but prioritising safety is first and foremost,” Johnson said in a column on The Western Australian.
On a personal level, Johnson said that he wouldn’t have returned to India if he were involved in such a situation.
“If I had to make a call whether to head back to India and finish the tournament, it would be an easy decision. It’s a no from me. Lives and safety are the most important thing, not paying cheques.
Not just the IPL, but the Pakistan Super League is also in a similar boat, where the return of overseas stars for the resumption of the league has become a challenge.
“It’s a personal decision. No one should be coerced or feel pressured into going back, even if the IPL and Pakistan Super League, which has also been halted, push hard for it. Both tournaments should just end now or consider moving, which then becomes a huge financial issue,” Johnson wrote.
Johnson was quite surprised to see that Cricket South Africa has opted for a much sterner stance on the matter in comparison to Cricket Australia. CSK has set May 27 as the deadline for its World Test Championship final-bound players to return. CA, on the other hand, has left it for the players to make the choice.
“With the IPL final now pushed back to June 3, just a week before the WTC final starts at Lord’s, the impact on players’ preparation for what is supposedly Test cricket’s showpiece match is another issue. South Africa appears to be taking a much harder line with their players than Australia, which is interesting given the financial ties between India and South Africa through the SA20 competition,” Johnson said.
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