ROHIT TO JOIN TEAM IN MELBOURNE; MCG ALL BUT SET TO HOST 3RD TEST

NEW DELHI: Indian opener Rohit Sharma will fly from Sydney on Wednesday (December 30) and join the rest of the team in Melbourne as the third Test in the four-match series is all but set to be played at the Melbourne Cricket Ground with an eye on the recent outbreak of coronavirus cases in Sydney. Speaking to ANI, sources in the know of developments within Cricket Australia (CA) said the opener will be flown in to Melbourne and will enter Team India’s bio-bubble on Wednesday.

“Yes, he will be flown to Melbourne by CA on Wednesday as the third game is almost set to take place at the MCG (Melbourne Cricket Ground) with an eye on the coronavirus outbreak,” the source said.

Cricket Australia’s interim CEO Nick Hockley had last week said they have “strong contingency plans in place” if the situation in Sydney deteriorates while reiterating that everyone’s wellbeing is their “number one priority”.

“Should the public health situation in NSW render playing in Sydney untenable, CA’s preferred contingency plan is to work with the Victorian Government to play the third Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground followed by the fourth Test at the Gabba,” CA said.

Hockley had said a final decision on the third Test venue would be made during the Boxing Day Test. “We have always maintained that scheduling a full summer of cricket during a global pandemic would require agility, problem-solving and teamwork like never before. We continue to place the safety and wellbeing of everyone involved as our number one priority. The record testing numbers and the drop in new community transmissions in NSW have provided cause for optimism, however, if the situation in Sydney deteriorates, we have strong contingency plans in place,” Hockley had said in a statement.

ANI