BCCI Is Fully Entitled To Protect Its Team: Sunil Gavaskar Weighs In On The Quarantine Controversy

Former India captain, Sunil Gavaskar comes in support of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) in its stance of the Indian team not keen to travel to Brisbane for the last Test of the 4-match series against Australia.

The Indian team is unwilling to play at The Gabba as they will have to undergo another round of hard quarantine if they travel to Brisbane from Sydney. In recent reports, the BCCI has emailed Cricket Australia (CA) stating that the players will not be able to travel to Brisbane in the Queensland government forces them into stricter quarantine.

The entire Indian squad had already spent the first two weeks in isolation after arriving in Australia. The governing body has mulled on the options of asking CA to host the fourth Test at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG), where both the teams are currently battling out in the third Test, or if at all, even pull out of the fourth Test making it a three-match series.

Can understand why they’re feeling that way: Sunil Gavaskar

During his commentary stint in the third Test, Sunil Gavaskar pointed out that all the matches of this tour, including the Sydney Test,  have been played in the presence of crowds. He says that there is a risk of contracting the virus when the ball goes into the stands and a spectator touches it.

“In Sydney, there are people coming to the ground and then going back and having dinner at a restaurant or having a gathering of 20, 30 people in a pub. What they’re saying is they should also be allowed to do something similar. You could have a situation where the ball goes into the crowd, somebody from the crowd touches the ball. One can understand that. One can understand why they’re feeling that way,” said Sunil Gavaskar while commentating for Channel Seven.

The 71-year-old understands that the Queensland government is entitled to be concerned about their people. However, the former batsman opines that the BCCI has is also justified to protect its players from more mental stress.

“The Queensland government is fully entitled to protect its people. Similarly, I believe the Board of Control for Cricket India is fully entitled to protect its team. I think that’s something we should never forget,” Sunil Gavaskar added.

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