BCCI Requests CA To Relax Quarantine Rules For Rohit Sharma, Ishant Sharma Ahead Of Test Series

The BCCI is reportedly doing all it can to make sure Rohit Sharma and Ishant Sharma join Team India for the upcoming Test series against Australia. Both the players are currently at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) for their rehabilitations.

Ishant is at the NCA from October after being ruled out of IPL 2020 with an abdominal injury. Last week, he was seen bowling at full tilt at the Chinnaswamy Stadium. Rohit Sharma, on the other hand, joined the NCA last week to completely recover from the hamstring injury he had sustained during the IPL.

Both the players are expected to join the team after they clear their fitness tests. They also need to leave for Australia as quickly as possible to be available for selection. They will have to be in quarantine too after landing in Australia. A 14-day quarantine is currently mandated in Australia due to Covid-19.

The first Test of the four-match series starts on December 17, but India are also slated to play a three-day warm-up match on December 11 before that. For Ishant and Rohit Sharma to be out of quarantine by December 10, they would have to be in Australia by November 26.

BCCI requests for relaxation in rules:

As per recent media reports, neither Rohit Sharma, nor Ishant Sharma are close to being fully fit. In such a case, they are unlikely to leave for Australia any time soon. But to make sure that they are available for selection at the earliest, the BCCI has asked Cricket Australia (CA) to relax the COVID-19 quarantine norms for Rohit and Ishant.

Trying their best to get Rohit and Ishant into the series, the BCCI and CA are looking to persuade the Australian government to relax quarantine norms.

“BCCI is in talks with CA, which in turn is negotiating with the Australian government about a relaxation in the quarantine rules (for the two players). If the rules are relaxed, then both Rohit and Ishant could be available for the (second) tour game,” a BCCI official told The Indian Express.

As per the report, there are ways through which travellers can get quarantine exemptions but they are required to take certain preventive steps beforehand to apply for the exemption.

“The Australian Health Protection Principal Committee (AHPPC) recognises some other travellers should be exempt from quarantine requirements as long as they take steps to mitigate risk. These travellers must apply for a quarantine exemption in line with state and territory requirements,” read the Australian government’s health advisory.

India are scheduled to play three ODIs, three T20Is and four Tests in Australia. The ODI series from November 27 will kickstart the tour. The Test series, on the other hand, will start on December 17 in Adelaide.

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