The IPL has already been riding the optimistic wave with Cricket Australia (CA) taking national coach Tim Nielsen’s advice that a six-day preparatory camp is enough for the team ahead of the tour of West Indies instead of the three-week camp which was earlier advised.

New Zealand Cricket has allowed its five players — Ross Taylor, Jacob Oram, Daniel Vettori, Kyle Mills and Brendon McCullum — to miss the warm-up matches on tour of England to participate in the IPL. This means these players will be available to play in the IPL until the first Test between New Zealand and England begins on May 15. The West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) has also allowed its three premier batsmen Ramnaresh Sarwan, Shivnarine Chanderpaul and Chris Gayle to miss the first two Tests against the touring Australians. According to the IPL rule for participating cricketers, they are scheduled to arrive at their respective franchise team centres 10 days ahead of the tournament so as to facilitate the fitness tests, dope tests and fulfill other mandatory regulations.