Cricket Australia confirmed that the Indian National Cricket team must go through two-week quarantine period once they arrive Down Under to play Test series at the later part of this year. Although Sourav Ganguly had asked for a shorter period for his team, the CA CEO informed otherwise.
Two-week quarantine for Indian National Cricket Team
In a conversation with ESPNCricinfo, Cricket Australia’s newly appointed CEO explained the need of two-week quarantine period and stressed on the best training facilities during the period for the Indian national cricket team. Nick Hockley said, “The two-week quarantine is pretty well-defined. What we are working on is making sure that even within that quarantine environment, the players have got the absolute best training facilities, so that their preparation for the matches is as optimal as it can possibly be. We’ll obviously take the guidance of the health experts and the authorities.”
Quarantine details to be disclosed soon
But the details of the same are yet to decided by the board. Hockley said that the intention would be to minimise the risk factor while taking a final call on the same. “Whether it’s a hotel on-site or hotels in close proximity to venues, it’s certainly about creating that environment where we are minimising risk of infections, and creating a biosecure environment is the absolute priority. There’s a huge amount at stake if we are unable to do that. Certainly, the fact that the Adelaide Oval has a hotel…it does provide a facility not dissimilar to Old Trafford or Ageas Bowl where the hotels are integrated into venue.”
Hockley further disclosed that regular testing would be there for the players and quarantine arrangements would follow the government protocols. “It’s widely known and it’s unlikely that international travel restrictions would have lifted by the time that India will be due to come into the country. Clearly there will be testing regimes. We will be able to test people before that they get on to the plane and it is the nature of the situation of making sure we have the quarantine arrangements in line with government and health authority protocols. The key thing for the players is that there’s regular testing and that we appropriately quarantine them when they come in and all of those plans are currently in development.”
