A number of English and Australian players taking part in a bilateral limited-overs series in September are set to miss their respective teams' IPL 2020 season-openers, thanks to the tournament's quarantine protocols. Rajasthan Royals could be disproportionately affected by this; Steven Smith is part of Australia's 21-member squad touring the UK, and while England haven't named their squad yet, it's likely Jofra Archer and Jos Buttler will be part of it. The status of Ben Stokes - who is in New Zealand for personal reasons - is as yet unknown.

Rather than seeing this as a disadvantage, however, Royals' chief operating officer Jake Lush McCrum believes his team will benefit from having a group of key players come into the IPL having just finished a competitive limited-overs series.

"English and Australian players will be competing against each other in a high-quality series right before the IPL which has many positives because it'll enable them to be at full match fitness," McCrum said in a limited media interaction. "They'll be competing at the highest level before the IPL where they'll be playing against the best players day in, day out.

"They may miss the first match due to the protocols put in place by the BCCI but we believe the protocols are necessary to keep everyone safe.

"We have an excellent and high-quality team with good depth and have the ability to have an extremely competitive team to deal with the absence of these players. Of course once these players join the squad, they will provide a huge boost to the team."

Uncertainty continues to surround the participation of South African players in the IPL, with the country's borders still sealed as it grapples with the Covid-19 pandemic. David Miller is the only South African in Royals' squad, and McCrum was confident the batsman would make it to the UAE in time for the tournament.

"Flights are being organised for the South African players and support staff to get them across to the UAE," McCrum said. "David's going to be in the UAE well in advance of the IPL to have plenty of time for preparation and he'll be ready for the first match. We're really excited to see him in a Royals' shirt and hopefully, the fans are too!"

While everyone involved in the IPL will be in a bio-secure bubble throughout the duration of the tournament, Royals have taken care to ensure their players and staff will have some level of freedom within that bubble, to the extent of arranging accommodation that includes a private beach. McCrum has personally flown over to UAE to oversee arrangements before the team flies out.

"The important thing we've looked at is the freedom of the players, yes they're in a bio secure environment, but we need to ensure they have as much outdoor space as possible," McCrum said. "Having a private beach was really important to us which we've managed to secure with high-quality rooms, team room, recreational facilities and a good variety of dining facilities to cater to all needs. We have also ensured we have a segregated section of the hotel to ourselves, to help reduce the risk of COVID further."

The UAE has managed to contain the pandemic to a large extent, with 6383 active cases - and 57,794 recoveries - as on Monday. Asked whether restrictions on players could be eased if the country goes out of lockdown while the tournament is on, McCrum said the team would wait and watch as the situation evolves.

"With regards to the strict BCCI protocols we're following, it means staying in the bio-secure environment in the hotel," he said. "We will see how the tournament progresses and what the rules are but all we can say is that we will follow the BCCI rules at all times."