The ongoing Border Gavaskar Trophy series has certainly kept the fans at the edge of their seats. Players of the respective teams did their best to help the team. While some tried their luck and ended up getting out cheaply, only very few players rose to the occasion and delivered the goods.
Both the teams had their fair share of moments in the series so far. Australia came out on top much to India’s annoyance in the day-night pink-ball affair in Adelaide Oval. After facing humiliation at the hands of the hosts, Team India confronted the hosts with a different perspective.
The visitors who played without Virat Kohli in the second Test scripted a memorable win in Melbourne to level the series. Ajinkya Rahane skippered the team incredibly well. Even without Kohli, Rohit Sharma, Mohammed Shami, Umesh Yadav, Ishant Sharma, India managed to win the match.
With two more Tests to go, both teams are seriously preparing for the upcoming challenges. Cricket Australia confirmed that Sydney Cricket Ground will host the third Test on January 7. It will be quite interesting to see two heavyweights battle it out at each other in the next two Tests.
Team India not interested to travel to Brisbane
In the latest development from the Indian camp ahead of the SCG Test, Team India has expressed their unwillingness to travel to Brisbane for the fourth and final Test match. There have been reports and speculations that players might once again be isolated for two more weeks.
The fourth Test between the two teams is at huge risk amid media outlets suggesting that the Indian squad is not keen to travel to Brisbane. Cricbuzz has reported that senior Indian sources believe further restrictions would have a negative impact on mentally exhausted players.
Earlier, BCCI chief Sourav Ganguly echoed that the team would fly to Australia but had requested the local board to keep short quarantine spells for players. “We don’t want the players to go all that far and sit in hotel rooms for two weeks. It is very, very depressing and disappointing,” he had said.
Meanwhile, a source inside the Indian cricket team telling the media reporters that they are unwilling to travel to Brisbane. The source also added that the players wouldn’t really mind playing both the Tests in Sydney Cricket Ground itself.
“If you look at it, we were quarantined for 14 days in Dubai before landing in Sydney and doing so for another 14 days. That means we were in a hard bubble for nearly a month before coming out. What we don’t want now is to quarantine again at the end of the tour,” the source told Cricbuzz.
Queensland government gives a sharp reply
With reports claiming that India is not too interested to travel to Brisbane, Queensland government came up with a bold reply. Reacting to India’s reluctance to travel to Brisbane, Shadow Minister Ros Bates told 7News: “If the Indians don’t want to play by the rules, don’t come.”
Speaking on the same lines, Shadow Sports Minister, Tim Mander added that there is no room for violating the protocols and that every one travelling to Queensland will have to follow the rules.
“If the Indian cricket team wants to spit the dummy and disregard quarantine guidelines in Brisbane for the fourth Test, then they shouldn’t come. The same rules must apply for everyone. Simple,” Mander added in a statement.
