Australia tour in December 2020 worries few senior Indian players: Report

All immediate and looming cricketing activities have come to a standstill in wake of the worldwide coronavirus crisis. Among major international events this year, the ICC T20 World Cup is currently being slated to be played in Australia between October and November. While the T20 World Cup is almost six months away from its commencement, the tournament is still clouded with much uncertainty at the moment. Cricket Australia are currently considering several measures to save their 2020-21 home summer, which would include a lucrative Team India tour for four Tests immediately after the T20 World Cup.

Also Read | BCCI Official Considers Holding T20 World Cup In October 'impractical': Report

Indian players reportedly “uncertain” over Australia tour

The T20 World Cup in Australia is scheduled to be played between October 18 and November 15 across seven different Australian venues. Additionally, the Indian team is also scheduled to tour ‘Down Under’ for three T20Is, three ODIs and four Test matches from October 2020 till January 2021. With the uncertainty created by the coronavirus crisis-induced travel restrictions in Australia, Cricket Australia were reportedly contemplating to host India in five Test matches at a single venue to avoid travelling risks.

Meanwhile, certain Indian players, who wish to remain anonymous, recently expressed their reluctance over travelling to Australia later this year. In a report by Sportskeeda, a senior cricketer stated that the players will abide their Australian tour on orders of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). However, the same cricketer also added that they do not wish to stay for such a duration when there is much “uncertainty” in the world at the moment.

Also Read | Cricket Australia Chief Says Exploring 'all Other Options' To Stage T20 World Cup

Another cricketer pointed out that one must ensure safety first before thinking about resuming the game. The anonymous player added that the entire team wishes to stay at home right now due to the contagious nature of the coronavirus disease. He also pointed out that if the situation improves by the time of the tour, they will go out and play in the country.

Coronavirus India lockdown impact on BCCI and IPL

The coronavirus crisis and India lockdown forced the BCCI to indefinitely suspend the launch of the highly-awaited Indian Premier League 2020 (IPL 2020) season. The IPL 2020 was originally scheduled to launch on March 29 at the Wankhede Stadium. Additionally, BCCI President Sourav Ganguly recently announced that there would no cricketing activities in India for the time being.

Earlier, many cricketing experts and fans had dubbed IPL 2020 as a perfect preparation campaign for the T20 World Cup. However, both T20 tournaments currently look doubtful to go ahead as planned.

Also Read | BCCI Keen On Helping Cricket Australia With Extra Matches If T20 World Cup Isn't Held: Report

Also Read | Coronavirus Pandemic: Cricket Australia CEO Says T20 World Cup Preparations Not Affected