The Indian Cricket Board (BCCI) treasurer Arun Dhumal recently stated that if required, the Indian team could go into quarantine upon their arrival Down Under for the scheduled tour in the Australian summer.

Calling this step a big one, former India cricketer Gautam Gambhir said that he will have much more respect for the richest cricket body in the world, if the Indian team tours Australia later this year. He said that the BCCI should act as a statesman during this crisis of Coronavirus which has brought a halt to all cricketing activities around the globe.

BCCI treasurer says Team India willing to quarantine in Australia for two weeks ahead of Test series

"Good on BCCI, fabulous. Good on them. This is a very very positive sign because I think they are looking at a far bigger picture, that it will change the mood of the entire country as well,” Gambhir said.

Meanwhile, the need for the two-week quarantine will only arise in Australia, only if the preceding T20 World Cup doesn't take place.

"It is not only about winning series in Australia, which is very very important. But it will change the mood of both the countries as well, not only India but probably for Australia as well,” Gambhir said on a show ‘Cricket Connected'.

India is scheduled to play four Tests Down Under and if the tour doesn't take place, Cricket Australia could lose as much as 300 million Australian dollars.

Gambhir further stated, “And then you have got to be a statesman as well, when BCCI, they are probably the richest board and probably the most powerful board in the world, so they need to look at a bigger picture as well and that is what probably they have done.”

"If India looks to tour Australia, I have got a lot of respect then for BCCI…,” added the southpaw, who played 58 Tests and 147 ODIs for India.

(PTI inputs)