We don't want to be treated like animals in the zoo, says Team India

Team India is firm on its stance of not being in quarantine for the remainder of the ongoing Australia tour. Moreover, all of them including the support staff have been tested negative for COVID-19 ahead of their scheduled travel to Sydney for the third Test starting from January 7. The visitors have stuck to their stance of wanting to be treated as ‘normal Australians’ having served mandatory quarantine and followed all government protocols so far.

Even the fourth Test in Brisbane is in doubt now with the Queensland Government not ready to give the players an exemption having travelled from New South Wales which is a hotspot for COVID at the moment. The Shadow Minister for Health and Ambulance Services in Queensland, Ros Bates also said that India shouldn’t come if they don’t want to follow the rules.

Team India also feels that if close to 20,000 fans can come to watch him at the stadium, then how can the players be confined to their hotel rooms. “We think it’s contradictory if you are going to allow fans to come to the ground and enjoy that freedom, and then ask us as performers to go back to the hotel and quarantine.

“That is especially after we’ve been tested negative for the virus. We don’t want to be treated like we are animals in the zoo,” a team insider said while speaking to Cricbuzz.

We want to follow same rules as every Australian citizen, says team India source

The source cleared that the team is expecting for them to follow the rules which are set for Australians as it has been almost more than two months since they landed in the country. “It goes back to what we’ve said from the beginning. We want to follow the same rules as every Australian citizen in the country. So, if crowds weren’t allowed inside the ground, then it makes sense for them to ask us to quarantine inside the hotel,” the source added.

It remains to be seen if Cricket Australia manages to convince either Queensland government or team India in order to host the fourth Test in Brisbane as planned from January 15.