Indian cricket team players Rohit Sharma, Rishabh Pant, Shubman Gill, Prithvi Shaw and Navdeep Saini have all been put into isolation after a video on Twitter has reportedly spotted them breaking pandemic protocols.
The five Indian players had purportedly stepped out of their biosecurity protocols to eat at an indoor restaurant in Melbourne. Following the reports, they have been separated from the rest of the team, with separate training facilities, until further investigation.
"In the interim, on the advice of the Australian and Indian medical teams, the aforementioned players have been placed in isolation as a precaution," a media release by Cricket Australia said.
"This will include separating the group of players from the broader Indian and Australian squads when travelling and at the training venue. Players will be permitted to train in accordance with the strict protocols that have been put in place to ensure the ongoing safety of all members of the Indian and Australian squads.
“Similar measures were taken during the BBL this season after it was determined two Brisbane Heat players failed to comply with tournament biosecurity protocols," it added.
The Cricket Australia release, however, does not specify if the players breached security protocols and what will the consequences for the same.
Things escalated after an Indian cricket fan had tweeted about spotting five Indian players at a restaurant and claimed that he paid for those players without their knowledge. While the current protocols allow a player to eat only at outdoor venues, it is unclear if India had agreed to those rules.
The ongoing Border Gavaskar Trophy is currently levelled at 1-1 after India won the Boxing Day Test match by eight wickets at Melbourne.
Though the third Test match is scheduled in Sydney from January 7, both teams’ players are currently training in Melbourne. Despite the global pandemic leading to the closure of borders between New South Wales and other states, Cricket Australia is optimistic about the Test match being played next week.
After missing the first two matches, first with injury and then to stay in mandatory quarantine, Rohit Sharma has been available for selection for the Sydney Test match.
Feature Image Courtesy: AFP/ William West
