India series quarantine plans yet to be finalised

Only a few weeks before the players are due to start arriving, Cricket Australia are still negotiating with Queensland health officials over the quarantining of the India team ahead of their blockbuster Test series.

The India squad is scheduled to quarantine in Brisbane and play six shortform internationals in Queensland in late November and early December before moving on to Adelaide for the first of four Tests.

The Indian and many of the Australian players will be coming from the UAE, where the Indian Premier League ( IPL) concludes on November 10, but CA have not yet had their plans agreed by Queensland’s health department.

CA said they held a “productive” meeting with Queensland Health on Monday and were confident of hosting “a full schedule of matches” against India.

“This is an extremely detailed and complex plan that places the health and safety of the community, players and staff as paramount and there is clarification required in order to finalise arrangements,” CA said.

“We would like to thank our friends at the BCCI for their patience and understanding as we work towards a swift and successful outcome.”

Queensland was the most successful of the populous eastern Australian states at containing the new coronavirus and closed its borders to the rest of the country in early August.

Health security has become an issue in campaigning for state elections to be held on October 31.—