Coronavirus Australia: India wants out of Brisbane Test amid UK virus fears

The Indian Cricket Board does not want to play the fourth Test at the Gabba, fearing it could jeopardise their series against England.

Mohammed Siraj of India speaks with Cricket Australia staff after day three of the 3rd Test match in the series between Australia and India at Sydney Cricket Ground today. Picture: Ryan Pierse/Getty Images

Indian officials have informed Cricket Australia they do not want to play the fourth Test in Brisbane because of fears the highly-infectious UK strain of coronavirus could jeopardise their forthcoming series against England at home.

BCCI officials also expressed concerns about travelling to a city that is currently in a hard lockdown, but sources said India were still keen to play the fourth Test, but would not risk travelling to Brisbane.

Cricket Australia is confident however that the tour will proceed.

The latest objection comes after the Indian camp had tried to use changes in hotel restrictions as an objection to travelling to Brisbane.

Cricket Australia had just eased India’s concerns over quarantine arrangements in Brisbane before the BCCI changed tack.

Interim Cricket Australia chief Nick Hockley held an ad-hoc after-stumps meeting with Indian team officials over the fence at the SCG last night, with a final decision on the fate of the Gabba Test looming large.

Urgent talks

Hockley and Cricket Australia Chairman Earl Eddings have been locked in urgent talks with BCCI boss Sourav Ganguly, who is out of hospital after a heart attack and now participating in resolving the situation.

Cricket Australia is fighting to secure an iron-clad agreement from the BCCI and officials said they are confident of still resolving the matter and heading to Brisbane.

It’s understood D-Day could be Sunday with a final determination possible. It’s been a week of conjecture and innuendo out of a frustrated Indian camp, and the teams are due to fly north on Tuesday.

The Sydney Sixers and Brisbane Heat teams on the Gold Coast have been locked in their hotels since Brisbane’s three-day lockdown was announced, with players only allowed out for training and Sunday night’s clash, despite the fact they’re in a different part of Queensland.

Previously players based in the BBL hub in Queensland have been permitted to leave the hotel to order takeaway meals and even on occasions sit outside to dine at restaurants, however, measures have been tightened in response to the scare over a mutant strain of the virus in Brisbane.

Despite the extra precautions taken for the BBL, a decision was made on Friday that the Sixers-Heat match would not need to be moved, and it’s hoped a similar call will be made on next week’s fourth Test.

Decision expected Sunday

Cricket sources said they were expecting a decision on Sunday.

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk indicated on Saturday that she had few doubts about the Test going ahead.

“Discussions are still happening and they’re still positive,” said the Premier.

India raised a series of queries with CA officials regarding their fears over quarantining measures, including whether police would be roaming the hotel and whether they would be confined to their floor and banned from eating together as a team.

CA has reassured them that none of those measures will be in place, with the only security presence outside the hotel, and players free to roam around the entire facility and eat together in team rooms.

India has remained mysteriously silent on the matter and CA will be anxious about final approval.

The lockdown measures in Brisbane which are due to lift on Monday should have no bearing on the Test match starting on Friday – with a reduction in crowd size perhaps the only conceivable threat.