A strict stand is taken on the unwarranted regulations of quarantine in Brisbane. The Indian team is expected to remain isolated on their hotel floors both before and after playing hours in the match. BCCI has already written this to Cricket Australia and a detailed explanation is sought about the plans and executing them. BCCI has also asked for guarantees regarding the relaxation in the rules.
The Indian team has spent almost two months Down Under as the team flew there on 12th November. It has been initially guaranteed by Cricket Australia to BCCI that the Indian team has to undergo a two-week quarantine initially and after that, they are allowed to move around like any other citizens.
BCCI spoke in line with similar understandings and expected Cricket Australia to coordinate with the concerned state governments and asked for a quarantine relaxation guarantee in writing. Otherwise, they have asked to host the fourth and final test in Sydney. This is where the Indian team is playing the third test currently. Or, it could be so that the four-match test series is cut short to three.
Sources in BCCI spoke to media outlets and said that the final word has to come from the state authorities of Queensland as well as the federal government. Cricket Australia is the only governing authority for the entire cricket that is held in Australia and this is the sole reason, BCCI has written to them. But the final word has to be conveyed by the Australian government through Cricket Australia.
The authorities at Queensland have conveyed the message to Cricket Australia regarding the issues related to the concerns that are raised by BCCI. They have said that the issue has to be resolved by BCCI. Clarification is expected to come from the state authorities as well as the Federal government through Cricket Australia as the final test stands on the threshold of not being hosted in Brisbane or it might not be played at all.
The Indian team management and board are miffed because the Indian team is caged like animals and they are called to entertain the crowds in Australia.
Those who know about the developments have said that the crowds have the freedom to roam around freely as they are enjoying the cricket by entering the stadiums. But the players are isolated. So, adequate arrangements are required for the players. They also said that Cricket Australia must take a leaf out of the way the IPL is held in UAE. The IPL was conducted by keeping the priorities of the cricketers in mind.
The reasoning by BCCI further stems from the fact that an MOU has been signed between the two boards before the series has started where the dos and don’ts are strictly spelled that are required during the tour. The BCCI is on the verge of writing this to Cricket Australia.
