Sydney Test between India and Australia to go ahead as scheduled despite fresh COVID-19 cases: Cricket Australia

Australia and India are scheduled to play the third Test of the four-match series in Sydney on January 7. But the game under the cloud due to the fresh COVID-19 cases. This has forced the other states to close the borders with New South Wales. However, Cricket Australia (CA) has confirmed that the Test match will go ahead as scheduled.

The board seems confident to take stock of the situation with the game still around 17 days away from getting underway. Interestingly, both the teams played the four out of the six limited-overs matches of the tour in Sydney itself with crowd also being allowed in the stadium.

“The third Vodafone Test is more than two-and-a-half weeks away, which provides us with time to assess the evolving public health situation on the northern beaches of Sydney. We have made no changes to our schedule and our preference remains to play the match at the Sydney Cricket Ground,” CA’s interim CEO Nick Hockley said in a statement according to Cricbuzz.

CA is confident of delivering through the whole summer

The cases in Sydney have been on a rise since the last week and this has left the authorities concerned. But Nick is confident of delivering through the 2020-21 summer amidst the COVID outbreak. He cited the example of the recently concluded Adelaide Test which went smoothly. The opening game of the four-match series was in danger of being moved out after a cluster of COVID cases were found in South Australia.

“Cricket Australia has developed a solid track record of delivery throughout this most challenging of summers and will continue to make appropriate and proportionate decisions in consultation with our biosecurity team, governments, state & territory associations, the Australian Cricketers’ Association, our partners and venues.

“It was less than a month ago that South Australians were contending with an outbreak of the virus in Adelaide and we have just completed a brilliant first Vodafone Test at the Adelaide Oval. We faced similar issues in relation to the Melbourne Cricket Ground playing host to the Boxing Day Test and we are now less than a week away from welcoming back Victorian crowds after a difficult year for the state.

“We will continue to work closely with all relevant parties to make the right decisions in the appropriate timeframes,” Hockley added.