Australia vs India: COVID-19 Outbreak Unlikely To Affect Rohit Sharma's Participation, Opener To Link With Team On December 30

The recent COVID-19 virus cluster in Sydney that has affected interstate travel around Australia is unlikely to have any impact on Rohit Sharma’s participation in the ongoing Test series. The India opener landed in Australia on December 16 after clearing his fitness test at the National Cricket Academy, Bengaluru. He was recovering from the calf injury he had sustained while playing in the Indian Premier League.

The injury ruled him out of the limited-overs series as well as the first two Tests in Australia. Rohit Sharma is expected to return to action from the third Test but there were apprehensions that the recent COVID-19 outbreak might make things trickier. Due to the rise in COVID-19 cases in Sydney, it is not known yet whether Rohit will be able to join the Team India camp in Sydney or Melbourne itself.

As of now, Cricket Australia (CA) have a few alternatives in mind if the recent surge in COVID cases leads to a change in venue for the third Test, currently scheduled to be held at the SCG, Sydney (from January 07).  According to Cricbuzz, the BCCI had requested CA to allow Rohit Sharma to quarantine in Melbourne.

That way, the star batsman could’ve joined his teammates, who would have been in the same city. The BCCI were, however, informed that Rohit would then have been made to stay put in a hotel room chosen by the Victorian government, like any other overseas traveller.

If everything goes well, Rohit Sharma is likely to join the team on December 30. The Victorian state officials have deemed that anyone arriving in Melbourne from a 14-day quarantine in Sydney does not have to do so again and thus Rohit Sharma would be able to join the team straight after completing his quarantine in Sydney.

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