Australia v India Test series: Tourists caught up in bio-security drama after fan pays for meal

Cricket’s bio-security ‘police’ may investigate after four Indian players were inadvertently caught up in a restaurant drama.

Indian players at a dinner which was paid for by a fan.

A diehard fan might have inadvertently embroiled India’s cricket superstars in a bio-security drama, after innocently paying for their bill at a Melbourne restaurant.

Footage of Rohit Sharma, Rishabh Pant, Shubman Gill and Navdeep Saini dining out was posted on Friday night, as social media widely embraced the generosity of Indian cricket tragic Navaldeep Singh for taking care of a $118 bill for his heroes at Secret Kitchen Chinese restaurant at Chadstone Shopping Centre.

However, the feel-good act of kindness has sparked investigation by cricket’s bio-security police, after Singh innocently told in his narration of the New Year’s Day lunch-time encounter that he was “hugged” by a grateful Pant, after paying for the players’ spring rolls, chicken, mushroom and sausage fried rice, soy sauce chicken and diet coke.

When they got know that i have paid the bill.. Rohit sharma said bhaji pese lelo yaar acha nai lagta.. i said no sir its on me. Pant hugged me and said photo tabhi hogi jab pese loge wapis. I said no bro not happening. Finally sabane photo khichwai :) mja aa gya yaar #blessed

— Navaldeep Singh (@NavalGeekSingh) January 1, 2021

On Saturday, Singh took to Twitter again to clarify the encounter and denied the hug with Pant ever took place, in a post where he copied in the BCCI and CA handles.

“Clarification - Pant never hugged me it was all said in excitement we maintained social distance all thru (sic),” wrote Singh. “Apologies for miscommunication.”

Ultimately it’s a matter for the BCCI, but it’s understood Cricket Australia are also looking at the matter as they set up the bubble rules.

Cricket Australia’s strict bio-security guidelines dictate that players can eat out at restaurants provided they sit only in outdoor areas, however, the brief footage posted by Singh appears to show the cricketers sitting indoors without masks.

Recently, Brisbane Heat stars Chris Lynn and Dan Lawrence were both fined $10,000 each ($4000 suspended) after being busted taking a selfie with a fan in Canberra and hopping in a taxi.

None of the images posted on social media showed the Indians breaching social distancing, with individual photos of a masked Pant and Rohit completely acceptable because they weren’t selfies and appeared outside the restaurant.

Like the Lynn and Lawrence episode, the incident involving some of India’s biggest names appears minor and wouldn’t raise an eyebrow in normal times. However, it may prompt a closer look by rule-makers because it comes as Cricket Australia tries desperately to navigate its way through the remainder of a series that is suddenly being heavily impacted by tightening restrictions and border closures around the country.

Chris Lynn and Dan Lawrence were fined heavily for taking a selfie with a fan.

On several occasions this summer, the strength of Cricket Australia’s bio-security policy has saved the summer, with the protocols convincing the South Australian Government to allow Mitchell Starc to continue playing in the first Test, despite the fact he’d been in the Northern Beaches at the onset of the Sydney outbreak.

The Daily Telegraph

Full report here