New Delhi, May 14 (NationPress) At approximately 6 pm Australian time on Wednesday, Jake Fraser-McGurk’s manager informed Delhi Capitals (DC) that the young right-handed opener would not be returning to India for the franchise's remaining matches in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025, which resumes on May 17.

In light of this, DC has now brought in Bangladesh’s left-arm fast bowler Mustafizur Rahman, who can dazzle batters with his unique cutters and slower deliveries. Sources indicate that many overseas players from Australia, particularly those in the DC and Punjab Kings (PBKS) teams, experienced heightened anxiety regarding their safety after the game was canceled in Dharamshala last week.

“Jake was more unsettled than most foreign players during the Dharamshala incident. It's understandable (his choice to withdraw from IPL 2025), considering he is the youngest overseas player in the DC roster. Additionally, he felt quite anxious the day before the match in Dharamshala, and after we were evacuated, we returned to Delhi alongside others,” said Shannon Young, Fraser-McGurk’s childhood coach who was present in Dharamshala at the time.

Furthermore, it has come to light that several overseas players from both teams, especially Australians, had voiced their concerns about playing in Dharamshala on May 8 due to escalating cross-border tensions between India and Pakistan, yet they were persuaded by tournament officials to proceed.

However, as drones and airstrikes from Pakistan resulted in blackouts in Jammu, Udhampur, and Pathankot—less than 250 km from Dharamshala—the match was halted after just 10.1 overs, prompting players to return to their hotels under strict security protocols.

Arrangements were made to evacuate everyone associated with the IPL to New Delhi via buses, transporting them to Jalandhar, where a special 'Vande Bharat' train brought them to the national capital on Friday night. Young, who also coaches Netherlands captain Scott Edwards, elaborated on the lingering fear and hesitation among overseas players and coaches regarding a prompt return to India for the remainder of IPL 2025.

“The entire Delhi Capitals management and staff demonstrated remarkable concern for our safety immediately following the events in Dharamshala. Their support during those uncertain times was exceptional,” he added.

“However, I must emphasize that open warfare occurring around 80 km from our location in Dharamshala is a completely foreign concept for overseas individuals, including Australians. While for some Indians, a distance of 60-80 km might seem considerable, in Australia, we can cover 60 km in just 45 minutes, making it feel uncomfortably close.”

Additionally, sources indicate that Anton Roux, DC’s fielding coach, was also uncertain about returning to India if the league were to resume. Nevertheless, according to his Instagram post on Wednesday, Roux confirmed he was en route back to India to rejoin DC, who remain in contention for the IPL 2025 playoffs.

IPL sources informed that left-arm bowler Mitchell Starc is also uncertain about his return for the remaining DC matches, while the statuses of Faf du Plessis and Tristan Stubbs regarding their rejoining the franchise remain unclear. Meanwhile, for PBKS, who have a new home base in Jaipur, there is still no information on which of their overseas players will be available for IPL 2025.