Australian cricketer Lynn requests charter flight home from virus-hit India

India has been ravaged by a devastating wave of Covid infections in recent weeks, with infection and death rates growing exponentially, overwhelming hospitals and oxygen supplies running low

Australian cricketer Chris Lynn requested a charter flight home from the Indian Premier League

Batsman Chris Lynn has requested a charter flight home for Australian players after the Indian Premier League, News Corp reported on Tuesday, as a surge in Covid cases prompted Canberra to suspend passenger flights from India.

India has been ravaged by a record-breaking wave of Covid infections in recent weeks, with an exponential growth in cases and deaths overwhelming hospitals.

Lynn said he asked Cricket Australia for a charter flight when the governing body contacted players about their health and travel plans.

However, Prime Minister Scott Morrison warned there would be no special treatment for cricketers. Lynn was speaking before Australia suspended flights from India until at least May 15 on Tuesday.

"They are under their own resources and they'll be using those resources, I'm sure, to seek to return to Australia in accordance with our own arrangements."

"I know there are people worse off than us... We are not asking for short cuts and we signed up knowing the risks," Lynn said. "But it would be great to get home as soon as the event is over."

India star Ravichandran Ashwin also withdrew to support his family as the country staggers under 350,000 new infections and almost 3,000 deaths each day.

The IPL has come in for media criticism, with a leading Indian newspaper group calling it "commercialism gone crass" and "incongruous" as it suspended coverage on Sunday.

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Originally published as Australian cricketer Lynn requests charter flight home from virus-hit India