Kolkata Knight Riders wicketkeeper-batsman Dinesh Karthik has confirmed that Australian pacer Pat Cummins will not be available for the second half of the 13th edition of Indian Premier League (IPL), scheduled to resume in September this year at the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

Dinesh Karthik also mentioned that he is unsure about Eoin Morgan's return to the team and would take up captaincy if the latter doesn't turn up. "Pat Cummins has himself said that he will not come. But when it comes to Eoin Morgan, there are still three months to go. A lot can change from now till September. But if I am asked to lead, I will be ready for it," Dinesh Karthik was quoted as saying by TOI. While Cricket Australia is yet to confirm whether its players will be available for the remainder of the tournament, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) had informed that its players won't skip international matches which coincide with the IPL.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has announced late last month that the remaining matches of the 14th edition of IPL will be moved to the UAE in view of the Covid-19 pandemic in India. The cash rich league was suspended in early May after several players tested positive for Covid-19 despite staying in a bio secure environment. BCCI vice-president Rajeev Shukla said that the matches are expected to resume tentatively on September 18 or 19.