The Indian cricket board (BCCI) is in talks with Cricket Australia (CA) in an effort to relax the stringent quarantine rules for Rohit Sharma and Ishant Sharma, to make them available for the marquee Test series between the two sides starting December.
As per the Australian government’s general Covid protocol, a 14-day quarantine period is necessary upon reaching Australia.
According to a BCCI official, if the rules are relaxed, then Rohit and Ishant might reach Australia in time to be available for India’s second and final tour game, against Australia ‘A’ in Sydney from December 11 to 13.
“BCCI is in talks with CA, which in turn is negotiating with the Australian government about relaxation in the quarantine rules (for the two players). If the rules are relaxed, then both Rohit and Ishant could be available for the (second) tour game,” a BCCI official told The Indian Express.
Though there is a mandated 14-day quarantine period for incoming travelers, there is a provision for exemption which is listed in the ‘exemption category’.
“The Australian Health Protection Principal Committee (AHPPC) recognizes some other travelers should be exempt from quarantine requirements as long as they take steps to mitigate risk. These travelers must apply for a quarantine exemption in line with state and territory requirements,” it says on the website of the Australian government’s health advisory.
The BCCI and CA understandably are trying to take the ‘exemption’ route for Rohit and Ishant, as the Australian cricket body negotiates with the Australian government.
BCCI had been successful in negotiating the quarantine period for England and Australia players in the IPL 2020 with the UAE government.
Rohit is dealing with a hamstring injury suffered during the IPL 2020, while Ishant injured his abdominal muscle and missed the entire tournament barring one match. Both are doing their rehab at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) at the moment. The BCCI medical team is assessing the players and it is learnt that as of now, Rohit’s fitness level is “70 percent”.
India head coach Ravi Shastri had said that both the players needed to be flying to Australia in 3-4 days, if they wished to be included in the Test series, while thinking about Rohit and Ishant proving their match fitness during India’s second tour game before the four-Test series starts in Adelaide from December 17.
The BCCI official said that though it won’t be mandatory for both players to prove match fitness before the Test series, a bit of match practice will not do any harm.
The BCCI official said: “It’s sort of not mandatory. At the same time, for a Test series in Australia, ideally, the players should have match practice before going into the Tests. It’s difficult to directly go into the Test series. Then again, this is a call to be taken by the selectors and the team management. The BCCI doesn’t interfere in those matters.”
(The Indian Express inputs)
