Page 48 - The Indian EYE 010821

SPORTS JANUARY 08, 2021 | The Indian Eye 48

covid clouds over the fourth test

as Brisbane heads to a 3-day lockdown

A case of the more contagious UK strain of COVID-19 is the latest spanner in the works
for CA’s hopes to close out the Border-Gavaskar Trophy series at the Gabba

Our Bureau whether the Indian team would
be willing to follow strict quar-
Sydney/Brisbane antine protocols for the final

mid the growing doubt Test of the series at The Gabba,
over the fate of the Bates said: “If the Indians don’t
Afourth Test between want to play by the rules, don’t
Australia and India at The Gab- come.”
ba, Steve Smith said as players Before the third Test, com-
“we play where we are told to” menting on the challenges of
asserting that hosts are fully quarantine, stand-in skipper
prepared for the final Test to be Ajinkya Rahane had said: “See,
played in Brisbane despite hav- being in quarantine has its own
ing strict quarantine rules. challenges, as a team, we are
“To my knowledge, not any- just focusing on the game, out-
thing is changed from our point side life in Sydney is complete-
of view, we will wait and see and ly normal but the players are in
that is not our decision to make, the indian squad has strong reservations about playing at Gabba cricket quarantine which has its own
we are the players and we go Ground (icc twitter/aNi) challenge but we have to face it.
where we are told and do what We are not complaining and we
we need to do, but we would love per day had been permitted for are focusing on the third Test.
to play at the Gabba for sure,” the final Test. The health scare Australia’s third-largest city
Smith told the media during in the city, however, has left of Brisbane will enter a three-
the virtual press conference at those attendance caps in jeop- day lockdown from Friday after-
the end of the second day’s ac- ardy. noon after a local resident was
tion at the SCG. Queensland’s A hotel quarantine worker’s found to be infected with the
Health Authorities has made it positive test to the more conta- mutant strain of COVID-19.
clear that strict quarantine rules gious UK strain of COVID-19 is The tough restrictions came
have to be followed by the Aus- the latest spanner in the works after a young cleaner working
tralian and Indian cricket team for CA’s hopes to close out the in Brisbane’s quarantine hotel
in Brisbane since they would be Border-Gavaskar Trophy series was found to be infected with
coming from a declared hotspot at the Gabba, the Sydney Morn- the mutant strain of coronavi-
-- Sydney. ing Herald reported. rus that used to be detected in
Off late, Sydney has seen a “In Sydney, there are people Britain. She is also the first lo-
surge in COVID-19 cases and coming to the ground and then cally acquired case of the highly
as a result, there are travel and going back and having dinner at steve smith is all set to play at infectious COVID-19 strain.
border restrictions for people a restaurant or having a gather- Brisbane (icc twitter/aNi) At the same time, all the oth-
travelling from Sydney. ing of 20, 30 people in a pub,” er states will declare the Great-
Amid concerns over the Gavaskar said in commentary series into a three-game contest er Brisbane area as a hotspot
fourth Test at Gabba in Bris- for Channel Seven on Friday. and end it with the Pink Test according to reports by the Aus-
bane due to mandatory quar- Earlier, Queensland’s at the Sydney Cricket Ground tralian citing South Australian
antine and tighter biosecurity Health Shadow Minister Ros (SCG). Premier Steven Marshall, who
restrictions, former India skip- Bates’ comments regarding The official said if a public just attended the special meeting
per Sunil Gavaskar said that quarantine guidelines for the representative does not want of National Cabinet on Friday.
the Indian cricketing board is fourth Test in Brisbane did not the team to go and play, that is South Australia also en-
fully committed to protecting its go down too well with the Board hurtful. Pointing at Rohit Shar- forced stricter border rules
team. Gavaskar mentioned that of Control for Cricket in India ma undergoing a 14-day quar- with the Greater Brisbane area.
players are required to stay in (BCCI) as it felt that the team’s antine after landing in Sydney, From midnight Friday, anyone
a bubble but the crowds are al- image was shown in poor light. the official said propagating a coming into South Australia
lowed in the stands despite the Disappointed by the turn of view that the Indian team does from the Greater Brisbane area
curbs on mass gathering at pub- events, the BCCI is rethinking not wish to follow rules is sad. will be required to quarantine
lic places. A full crowd of 36,000 if it should turn the four-Test With questions raised on for 14 days.

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