The Chennai Super Kings have lost Australian fast bowler Josh Hazlewood for the 2021 Indian Premier League.
Hazlewood had been retained in the Chennai squad, but has since withdrawn.
“It has been a long 10 months in bubbles and quarantine at different times, so I decided to have a rest from cricket and spend some time at home and in Australia in the next two months,” Hazlewood was quoted as saying on cricket.com.au.
“We've got a big winter ahead, too. The West Indies is going to be a long tour, with Bangladesh and a T20 tour potentially thrown on the end of that.
“Then potentially the T20 World Cup leading into the Ashes, so it's a big 12 months, as it always is with Australia, and I want to give myself the best chance to be mentally and physically ready for that.
“That's the decision I've made, and it sits pretty well with me.”
Chennai's Record and Squad
Chennai have won the IPL three times. However, they finished seventh in the eight-team standings in 2020. They were without spinner Harbhajan Singh and batsman Suresh Raina for the entire tournament.
Singh has since joined the Kolkata Knight Riders, while Raina has been retained.
West Indies all-rounder Dwayne Bravo, South African trio Faf du Plessis, Imran Tahir and Lungi Ngidi, England star Sam Curran and New Zealand spinner are also among the franchise's retentions.
Ngidi, though, won't be available for the start of Chennai's 2021 campaign. He will join the squad belatedly after leaving South Africa's limited-overs series against Pakistan early.
IPL Returns to India
The IPL will be played in India this year. It was hosted in the United Arab Emirates last year. The tournament has also been played in South Africa in the past.
Eight teams will play at six venues in 2021. Chennai's home ground in Chepauk is among these. The Super Kings, however, won't play in Chepauk. All matches are being played at neutral venues.
The Mumbai Indians are the reigning champions. They beat the Delhi Capitals in the 2020 final. Mumbai are the most successful team in the history of the IPL. They have five titles to Chennai's three and Kolkata's two.
