'It is pretty well-defined' - Cricket Australia denies Sourav Ganguly's request of a shortened quarantine period for India

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and Cricket Australia (CA) recently confirmed the commencement of India’s tour of Australia at the end of this year. The highly-anticipated series will feature three T20Is, four Tests and three ODIs, starting from October 11.

Ahead of the tour, BCCI President Sourav Ganguly had asked for a shortened quarantine period for the Indian players as it gets ‘depressing’ according to the former India skipper. The sport has witnessed significant changes amid the COVID-19 pandemic and the players following ‘two-week’ quarantine has now become inevitable. West Indies, ahead of their Test series against England, also had to spend 14 days in quarantine after landing in the UK.

Responding to Ganguly’s suggestion of a shortened quarantine period Down Under, the newly-appointed Cricket Australia CEO, Nick Hockley, has said that the two-week quarantine period is essential for the players. Hockley, however, assured about the players getting the best training facilities to prepare for the series.

“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,” said Hockley as quoted by ESPN Cricinfo.

The players will be in a ‘biosecure bubble’ during the course of the series to curb the risk of COVID-19 transmission. Hockley revealed that the CA has not yet decided whether it will be one on-site hotel or multiple hotels in close proximity, that will accommodate players in the bio-secure environment.

“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 the 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 the venue,” added Hockley.

Clearly there will be testing regimes: Cricket Australia CEO Nick Hockley

Cricket Australia CEO also stressed on the need for regular testing of players during the series. Hockley said that there will be testing regimes and CA will ensure the quarantine arrangements being in line with government and health authority 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,” Hockley further said.