A latest three-day lockdown in Brisbane has put the fourth Test between Australia and India in jeopardy. The fourth and final Test match begins at The Gabba from January 15. Meanwhile, Team India have expressed their concerns over travelling to Brisbane and have sent a formal letter as well. The lockdown was announced less than 24 hours ago after the CA and BCCI officials were in talks of a possible relaxation in lockdown for the teams. The lockdown was imposed due to a new case in Brisbane.

Both teams were slated to travel to Brisbane next Tuesday but a new case has stopped their progress. As per reports, a hotel staff from the team hotel tested COVID positive for the highly contagious U.K. variant of COVID-19, prompting the state government to take drastic action.

New Lockdown Announced in Brisbane

“We are going to go hard and we are going to go early to do everything we can to stop the spread,” Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said Friday.

“This is incredibly serious. We are declaring that Greater Brisbane area a hotspot and I’m also asking my colleagues from other jurisdictions to also declare Greater Brisbane a hotspot until we get through this together,” Palaszczuk added.

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When asked about the possibility of the fourth Test match, the official said that there are positive talks about it, however, a final decision is awaited. Alongside, reports of Team India’s unwillingness to travel to Brisbane to play the fourth Test is also making the rounds in Australian media.

Indian skipper Ajinkya Rahane said that the Indian team was not happy with the regulations in place but the bubble life does get difficult for the players.

The quarantine rules in Brisbane will restrict the players to just their hotel rooms after day’s play. CA has already verbally assured the Indians that “a deal” has been “signed off on by the Queensland government to allow players and staff out of their rooms to mingle together inside the hotel when not playing or training will remain in place for their week in the city.”

The BCCI on their part has asked for a written announcement of the same.

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