The IPL 2025 season is set to resume on Saturday, May 17, and most overseas players are preparing to return following a temporary suspension caused by border tensions. Among those confirmed to rejoin are Australia captain Pat Cummins and his Sunrisers Hyderabad teammate Travis Head. Cummins is also set to lead Australia in the World Test Championship (WTC) final at Lord’s starting June 11.

Cricket Australia (CA) has left the decision up to individual players, stating they will support whatever choice each cricketer makes regarding their IPL participation. CA CEO Todd Greenberg noted that most players were expected to return. Of the original 16 Australian players in the IPL, some like Glenn Maxwell and Josh Hazlewood had already returned earlier due to injuries. Hazlewood will not rejoin RCB, citing fitness concerns.

Sunrisers Hyderabad, already eliminated from playoff contention, have just two matches remaining. Cummins and Head will fly home after those games. Gujarat Titans will have all their overseas stars available, including South Africans Kagiso Rabada and Gerald Coetzee, who are still in India or returning shortly. Their availability for the playoffs and final will be decided later.

England’s Jos Buttler, among this season’s top scorers, is expected back in Ahmedabad soon. However, Australia’s Mitchell Starc remains uncertain after being unsettled by a grueling 10-hour journey from Dharamsala to Delhi amid the earlier suspension.

Delhi Capitals’ Jake Fraser-McGurk is also unlikely to return due to the same concerns, while teammates like Faf du Plessis and Tristan Stubbs are expected back. PBKS is still waiting on confirmation from Josh Inglis and Marcus Stoinis, though other international players are returning.

Chennai Super Kings have most of their overseas players confirmed, including Devon Conway, while Rachin Ravindra's status is still unclear. CSK, like SRH, are out of playoff contention and have allowed players to decide individually.

Many non-Australian overseas players spent the break in Dubai, Singapore, or the Maldives and are expected to return soon. Teams like KKR and Mumbai Indians remain confident of their full squad’s return, though some are keeping strategies under wraps.