The alleged conflict in Brisbane between India and Australia seems to have intensified. In this case, till now only the Indian team had expressed their displeasure, but now the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has officially lodged its objection with Cricket Australia.


According to news agency PTI, BCCI has written a letter to Cricket Australia, reminding them of the agreement before the series, which did not mention the implementation of strict quarantine. BCCI has made it clear that it wants a hotel quarantine in Brisbane for its players, similarly like IPL 2020, in which players were allowed to meet one another.




India and Australia teams are currently in Sydney, where the third Test match of the series has started from Thursday, 7 January. In Sydney itself, cases of coronavirus have started increasing rapidly in the last few weeks, after which the Queensland state government has closed its borders.


However, the state government has allowed both teams and members of the broadcasting team to come for the 4th Test match, to be held in Brisbane, but the authorities have planned to restrict the players to just their hotel rooms after day's play.


The Indian team lodged its objection on the same condition of the Queensland Government. Since then, there were reports that the Indian team is not willing to go to Brisbane due to the strict quarantine. Now officially the BCCI has informed the CA regarding this for the first time.


"The discussions are still on but today BCCI has formally sent a letter seeking relaxation of hard quarantine for its players if they are to have the match in Brisbane," a senior BCCI official told PTI.

"The MoU that was signed never mentioned about two hard quarantines. India have done one hard quarantine in Sydney (practice and back to hotel room)," he added.


The BCCI official said that the demand of Indian players is only that the players should be allowed to meet each other in the hotel. BCCI cited example of IPL 2020, that took place in UAE (United Arab Emirates).


"The BCCI's demand is simple. The players want to mingle with each other inside the hotel bio-bubble like they did in the IPL. They want to have their meals together inside the hotel and also have the team meetings together. That's not a big demand," he informed.


As far as Cricket Australia is concerned, according to the information available, CA has allowed players to meet inside the hotel, but only those living in same floor of the hotel can meet each other. The BCCI has also told the CA that it wants written information about the exemption in the quarantine rules.


"The BCCI has told CA that the relaxation of the quarantine rules should be given in writing. During India's hard quarantine in Sydney after reaching from UAE, there used to be police personnel in each floor ensuring that there is no breach of bio-safety protocols.


"Hopefully, nothing of that sort will happen if the team travels to Brisbane. All we want is IPL style bio-bubble."