India to accept quarantine to save Australia Test series

India’s cricket team is prepared to undergo quarantine to salvage a money-spinning Test series against Australia, a top official said on Friday, but there was less optimism about this year’s Twenty20 World Cup taking place Down Under.

Virat Kohli’s men are scheduled to contest a four Test series in Australia towards the end of the year but will need to isolate for two weeks under current COVID-19 rules.

Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) treasurer Arun Dhumal offered encouraging words, saying India cricketers would be willing to isolate themselves before playing four tests and three one-day internationals in December and January.

“There is no choice - everyone will have to do that. You would want to resume the cricket,” Dhumal told the Sydney Morning Herald.

“Two weeks is not that long a lockdown.”

The boards have been discussing the possibility of a fifth test but Dhumal felt playing extra limited-overs matches would make more financial sense.

“If there is a window available it would be up to the boards to decide whether they wanted to go for a Test match or maybe two ODIs or maybe two T20s.

“Given the revenue loss they will have on account of lockdown, post-lockdown they will want to have revenue and revenue most likely will come from ODIs or T20s much more than a test match.”

Dhumal was less optimistic about the preceding Twenty20 World Cup and did not fancy a flagship tournament in Australia featuring players who are still rusty as they emerge from the lockdown.

Australia this month dethroned India as the world’s top-ranked Test team, setting up the series as a blockbuster rivalry.

The series would also generate hundreds of millions of dollars for a host organisation struggling during the coronavirus shutdown.

Revenue from the series is so important to cricket Australia that it has proposed adding a fifth Test, which would mean ditching a one-off Test against Afghanistan in November.

Dhumal said it was “too early” to make a call on extending the Test series, suggesting Indian broadcasters would prefer more limited overs matches instead because they generate more money.

“They will want to have revenue and revenue most likely will come from ODIs or T20s much more than a Test match,” he said.

While it would be relatively straightforward for Australia’s government to allow the Indian team to enter the country for a bilateral series, Dhumal said staging the 16-nation T20 World Cup was another matter.

He also questioned whether elite players would be ready for the October tournament.

“They will have been out of cricket for a long time. Would you want to be without training for that long and straight away go and play [the] World Cup?” he asked.

“That is a call every board has to take. It seems to be difficult.”

A cash-strapped Cricket Australia (CA) is banking heavily on the series, reportedly worth A$300 million ($195 million), to help it cope with an acute financial crisis triggered by the coronavirus pandemic.

The BCCI has had to indefinitely postponed its own cash-cow Indian Premier League (IPL) and Dhumal said an alternative window for the tournament was yet to be identified.

“Once things get clear, then only will we be able to go back to the drawing board and think about re-starting cricket.”

Neither Dhumal nor BCCI president Sourav Ganguly was immediately available to elaborate when Reuters contacted them.

Reuters