Rajasthan Royals skipper Steve Smith admits he’s disappointed the IPL won’t be in India this year.
The Australian batsman will return to action with the Royals when the 2020 edition of the tournament takes place in the UAE.
It now starts on September 19 following postponement due to the coronavirus outbreak.
Smith would have liked the IPL to be in India again but is glad it is going ahead.
Smith said: “It’s disappointing that it’s not in India, we would have absolutely loved to play there. But to get the tournament up and give everyone a chance to play, it’s amazing what has been going behind the scene.”
Adapting to different conditions will be vital
Smith also believes the key to success will be how well teams and players adapt to the new surroundings.
He added: “The conditions in Dubai can be similar to what you get in India or they could be different. It’s about adapting on the run.
“That’s going to be the key message for me and the coaching staff along the way as well.
“Guys are going to be just jumping out of their skin to get into there and play some quality cricket.”
UAE starting time confirmed
BCCI secretary Jay Shah has now confirmed the starting times of matches for the Indian Premier League in the UAE.
The tournament will start on September 19 and end on November 10. Afternoon fixtures will begin at 15:30 Indian Standard Time. Evening matches will start at 19:30 IST.
A BCCI statement read: “IPL 2020 will be played from 19 September and the final will be played on 10 November 2020. The 53-day tournament will witness 10-afternoon matches starting at 15:30 IST, while the evening matches will start at 19:30 IST.
“The governing council also discussed the comprehensive standard operating procedures, which will be finalised and published in due course, including the agencies to execute and deliver a bio-secure environment for safe and successful conduct of IPL 2020 season.”
