The India tour of Australia 2020-21 is finally in order. Cricket Australia finally shared the good news of striking a deal with the New South Wales government for the quarantine and training of the Indian team at Sydney. The NSW government also agreed the same for the home team members returning from the IPL next month.
The India Tour of Australia 2020-21:
CA took the opportunity to confirm a tentative schedule for the tour, only subject to BCCI’s approval. The Indian Cricket team, set to fly down to Australia almost immediately post the IPL, will play a series of limited overs internationals (3 ODIs and 3T20Is) in Sydney and Canberra. The six games distributed between SCG and the Manuka Oval will be played November 27 to December 8. While the Virat Kohli-led team has happy memories of their last limited-overs tour to Australia, the return of big-guns, Smith and Warner is set to make the contest even more interesting.
The caravan of both teams will then move to Adelaide for the first Test from December 17-21. The Adelaide Oval is also the backup ground for the Boxing Day Test from December 26-31 in case the city of Melbourne does not recover well from the COVID-19 crisis. The traditional New-Year’s Test as SCG, though a little delayed, will take place from January 7-11. The fourth and the final Test of the series will be played at Brisbane from January 15-19. Cricket Australia is optimistic of creating a bio-bubble for the players despite the constant travel in and around the country.
The Indian players as well as the returning Australians will undergo a 15-day quarantine in Sydney after the approval from the NSW government. Not only does it relieve Cricket Australia from the tension after Queensland’s Health department raised concerns over the previously scheduled quarantine in Brisbane, but it also sets the tour in motion much beforehand. All the games from the series will be played behind closed doors. It would be a great spectacle for both the players and the fans though as the two top teams will go head to head after almost two years.
The Schedule:
1st ODI: November 27 — SCG
2nd ODI: November 29 — SCG
3rd ODI: December 1 — Manuka Oval
1st T20I: December 4 — Manuka Oval
2nd T20I: December 6 — SCG
3rd T20I: December 8 — SCG
1st Test: December 17-21 — Adelaide Oval
2nd Test: December 26-31 — MCG
3rd Test: January 7- 11 — SCG
4th Test: January 15-19 — Brisbane
The Test series from the tour is also a part of the World Test Championship spicing up the deal further. Moreover, the Adelaide Test will be a Day-Night Pink ball Test match, India’s first overseas and second overall.
Earlier this week, BCCI announced that a total of 32-player Indian contingent, along with a select support staff, will land in Australia post the IPL next month. The statement further said that the players will not be accompanied by their families for safety purposes.
The effort put forth by the two cricket boards to put the series together is commendable. The technique, skill and the reputation on the line for the players as well as the fans is what makes the rivalry special. So much so that even behind closed doors one expects the hostility and aggression between the two nations is sure to stay fresh. Though an announcement of the schedule awaits BCCI’s agreement, this tour already promises to be one of the best world cricket has seen in a while.
As for all the Indians, the early winter cricket mornings are back.
