With the picture still pretty much hazy around the participation of Rohit Sharma and Ishant Sharma for the major part of the high octane 4-match Border Gavaskar Test series against Australia, BCCI officials are reportedly holding talks with Cricket Australia (CA) to make relaxation in the quarantine rules for the players so that they could have a strong possibility of playing in the Test series .
This major development comes a day after disappointing news from an Indian perspective of Rohit Sharma and Ishant Sharma expected to miss out on at least the first two Test matches of the series on the back of the cricketers recovery process against injury at the NCA and the existent quarantine procedures in place in Australia for incoming foreign players amid the Covid-19 pandemic.
“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 a report filed in the Indian Express, there are means by which in-bound foreign travelers can get quarantine exemptions in the Island Nation but they are required to take certain preventive steps beforehand to apply for the exemption.
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What Is The Rule Book With Regards To Relaxing Quarantine Period For Travelers Coming Into Australia
“The Australian Health Protection Principal Committee (AHPPC) recognizes some other travelers should be exempt from quarantine requirements as long as they take steps to mitigate risk. These travelers must apply for a quarantine exemption in line with state and territory requirements,” read the Australian government’s health advisory.
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With the present norm of being placed in a 14-day quarantine period once a foreign player lands in Australia coupled with the fact that Ishant would need to attain full match fitness, the experienced seamer needs to be on a flight to Australia as soon as possible to feature in the third and fourth Tests against Australia. In case of Rohit Sharma, the batsman is said to be at 70% fitness at present and is set to remain at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) till December 08.
In the recent past, BCCI had requested the Emirates Cricket Board and the UAE government to shorten the quarantine period for the players participating in the thirteenth edition of the Indian Premier League and were successful in negotiation terms which served all stakeholders well.