Much hype has been already created for the upcoming India tour to Australia later this year as both boards are finding out logistics of playing the four-Test series and limited-overs internationals despite the COVID-19 pandemic’s rage.
Australia has been closed to international travelers for over two months now and has seen a drop in Coronavirus cases, so much that things have started to open up with people being allowed to go outside in groups and businesses opening. Having recorded about 7,500 infections and 102 deaths, Australia has been relatively successful at containing COVID-19.
However, the state of Victoria saw a spike in cases and Australia Test captain Tim Paine said that in these uncertain times, he saw "all options being on the table".
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"We are hopeful that everywhere we play, come summertime, we'll be able to have crowds. How big though, we don't know obviously. It's a very difficult question to answer because there is so much changing week to week, day to day... that three to four months down the line, we just don't know what it's going to look like,” he said.
India is due to play a T20I series against Australia in November, a four-match Test series in December-January, followed by ODIs next year. Earlier, the Australian federal government had announced that some venues will be able to host up to 10,000 spectators for sporting events from July.
However Paine said its best not to raise hopes and if there are no crowds during the marquee Test series, it won’t be a problem.
"We spoke briefly on it on a Zoom call last week or about two weeks ago and just said it’s a great opportunity that things are going to change. Players are going to have to become more reliant on each other and on themselves and finding ways to get things done without the huge numbers of support that we’ve been really lucky to have over the last number of years,” Paine said.
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Paine was also ready for the historic Boxing Day Test, which is usually played at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG), against India at another venue if it means the match goes forward in a safe environment.
"Certainly from a player's point of view, we want to be playing in front of big crowds. At the best venues and a big day like Boxing Day is something that everyone looks forward to and a big part of that is playing at the MCG,” he said.
(Reuters and Sportstar inputs)
