The boxing day Test between India and Australia is set to take place at Melbourne Park starting from December 26. The third Test of the series, which starts on January 7, 2021, was supposed to take place in Sydney. However, due to a recent Covid 19 outbreak in Sydney, Melbourne has emerged as the likely venue for the third Test too.
According to reports, the Indian team which reaches Melbourne on Tuesday has already been informed about the change in plan. A confirmation on the same is expected soon.
The recent outbreak in New South Wales has forced Cricket Australia to make emergency plans and it is understood that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) was appraised of the situation on Monday. Aussie cricketers, David Warner, and Sean Abbott had to be airlifted on Saturday with NSW imposing certain restrictions on movement.
Though the BCCI was informed that a call on the Sydney Test will be taken later, the situation has deteriorated rapidly in the last 24 hours. According to BCCI sources, it won’t be safe to go ahead with the Sydney Test under the current circumstances. There was also a proposal for a possible swap between the Sydney and the Brisbane Test but even that has been taken out of consideration as there is no guarantee that the situation will improve by then.
If the Test is played at the Sydney Cricket Ground, the chances of it being played behind closed doors are high. Therefore, Melbourne could host back to back Tests.
“The CA feels Melbourne is a safe option under the circumstances because the safety of the players and the staff is paramount. They are in regular touch with the BCCI and the venue should be finalised soon,” a board official told The New Indian Express.
The Indian team won’t mind playing two Tests at Melbourne because of the slow pitch at the ground. A slower pitch opens the door for India to introduce two players in the line-up. The last time India played at the MCG, they came out victorious by 137 runs.