NEW DELHI: The Indian cricket team has tested negative in their recent COVID-19 checks dome in Melbourne, bringing the controversy surrounding five players allegedly breaking quarantine protocols to an end.
“Playing members of the Indian Cricket Team and support staff underwent an RT-PCR Test for Covid-19 on January 3, 2021. All tests have returned negative results,” the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) stated in a media release.
The entire Indian cricket contingent will travel to Sydney for the third Test against Australia together in the same chartered flight on Monday.
Vice-captain Rohit Sharma, opener Shubman Gill, stumper Rishabh Pant, pacer Navdeep Saini and batsman Prithvi Shaw — landed themselves into an ongoing investigation into a bio-security protocol breach by them. Cricket Australia, in a media release on Saturday, said it is probing the matter jointly with the BCCI after a video of the players at an indoor restaurant was posted by a fan, who identified himself as Navaldeep Singh on Twitter.
Even as Indian media reports on Sunday raised the possibility that the fourth Test in Brisbane could be jeopardised as the tourists are reluctant to travel there in view of stricter quarantine rules, it looks certain that the fourth Test, starting at the Gabba from January 15, will take place as scheduled. The series is level at 1-1 with the visitors preparing to take on Australia in the third Test in Sydney which kicks off Thursday, January 7.
The crowd limit for the third Test between India and Australia has been reduced to 25 per cent of the SCG’s seating capacity on advice of the New South Wales government after fresh COVID-19 cases were recorded in the city.
Approximately 9500 people would be allowed to watch the game with the series currently locked at 1-1 following India’s remarkable comeback in Melbourne. The SCG has a seating capacity of about 38,000.
“Reducing the capacity of the venue is crucial in achieving social distancing requirements, and we sincerely thank ticket-holders for their patience, as we process refunds today, reconfigure the SCG seating plan to deliver these social distancing measures and go back on sale,” Cricket Australia CEO Nick Hockley said in a statement.
The SCG had hosted two ODIs and as many T20s during the limited overs leg of India’s tour.
BCCI considering ending tour with Sydney Test: Report
Till an official announcement comes through, SportzPower will treat a report filed by ANI earlier Monday as speculative and highly improbable. Which is that the BCCI is considering turning the four-Test series into a three-game contest and end the tour with the upcoming Pink Test at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG).
As per the newswire, Queensland’s Health Shadow Minister Ros Bates’ comments regarding quarantine guidelines for the fourth Test in Brisbane has not gone down too well with the BCCI as the Indian board feels the team’s image has been shown in poor light.
A BCCI official told ANI that the comments from Bates was uncalled for and should have been avoided as the Indian board has looked to stand united with Cricket Australia and ensure that the tour goes ahead without any hurdles.
The unnamed official told ANI: “The statement made by the public representative portrays Indians in poor light and let me assure you, we do not want to do anything other than to abide by the rules, and Rohit Sharma’s strict quarantine is a case in point. To try and propagate a view that we don’t wish to follow the rules is unacceptable and the tone and tenor, in which it was said seemed rife with hostility and bordered on racism. It is, therefore, not a surprise that a rethink is on the cards.
“If a representative of the public does not want us there, it is hurtful and the last thing we want is to upset the Australian fans who have given us so much love and support over the years. We do not wish to make it difficult for them or for Cricket Australia.”
With questions raised on whether the Indian team would be willing to follow strict quarantine protocols for the final Test of the series at The Gabba, Bates said: “If the Indians don’t want to play by the rules, don’t come.”
She had put out the statement on social media as well and her sentiments were echoed by Queensland’s Shadow Sports Minister Tim Mander.
“If the Indian cricket team wants to spit the dummy and disregard quarantine guidelines in Brisbane for the fourth Test, then they shouldn’t come,” Mander said, as reported by Fox Sports.
“The same rules must apply for everyone. Simple,” he added.
Cricket Australia’s interim chief executive officer, Nick Hockley on Monday clarified that India has not said anything formally regarding the fourth Test match at Brisbane and as of now, the series will go ahead as planned.
“We’ve had nothing formal from the BCCI to suggest anything other than they are supportive. We speak to our counterparts in the BCCI daily and we have clarified in the last 24 hours what the precise requirements are in Brisbane,” cricket.com.au quoted Hockley as saying.
“There has been some reporting that players will be confined to their rooms — that’s not the case. Typically for a Test match, players arrive at the ground between 8 am and 9 am and they are there until 6 or 7 pm at night, and then it’s back to the hotel to rest and recuperate and they will be able to mix within their groups. So everyone’s fully across that, and supportive,” he added.
