Reports | Indian management unhappy over hotel quarantine amidst crowds being allowed

The series has been a perfect example of two quality sides going head-to-head against each other, with the way the entire tour has panned out thus far. No one has had the upper edge over the other in a cruciating manner, including the Test series, which hangs at 1-1. With just two Tests left, the series has taken a slightly controversial route, when five of the Indian players were caught dining inside a restaurant in Melbourne. 

While the BCCI have not yet given out their version of the story, several reports have suggested that the BCCI officials are unfazed by the Australian version of the story. In addition to that, the management was also irked by Queensland’s hard-quarantine rules, which restricts their movement within the hotel. 

"We are not in favour of hotel quarantine and being asked to stay confined indoors, especially at this stage of the tour. We will follow all the protocols that are in place by the government if it means wearing masks while stepping out for a meal or completely avoiding 'red zones' and 'hot spots'," the source told Cricbuzz. 

"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," the source added. 

The BCCI official also raised his question over the indifferent treatment to the visiting cricket team, when fans are allowed at the respective venues. Cricbuzz further reported that it doesn’t make any sense when the players have to hard quarantine themselves when 20,000 fans are present in the stadium without many restrictions. 

"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," he added.

The report also suggested that the Indian team have always had a strong opinion over the ‘hard-quarantine’ and have rejected the conditions in the first place but haven’t heard later from the hosts. 

"Our players have made lots of sacrifices on this tour like Mohammad Siraj not being able to go back to attend his father's funeral. Some of our boys have been inside a bubble for nearly six months and it's not been easy for anyone," he added.