A COVID-19 outbreak in South Australia has terrified the Australian cricket community, raising the question of whether the all-important streak against India can continue.
The pandemic has devastated international cricket with the postponement of the T20 World Cup while WBBL teams have played in a bubble.
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India has arrived in Australia to quarantine three ODIs, three T20s and the four-game test series.
After a bitter, highly competitive series in 2018, cricket fans ignored the match despite several setbacks.
The schedule was only confirmed a few weeks ago and Indian skipper Virat Kohli will return home after the first test for the birth of his first child.
The series was supposed to be a $ 300 million award for Cricket Australia after being badly hit by the pandemic.
The Australian cricket governing body was also embroiled in a battle with Channel 7, which is threatening to end its $ 450 million cricket rights deal.
After the Parafield COVID-19 cluster in Adelaide closed the state for six days, questions are being raised as to whether the first test of the summer will be relocated from the Adelaide Oval.
Given that the states other than NSW are imposing travel restrictions on South Australia, there is concern that broadcasters cannot easily switch production crews between states.
The stations have reportedly asked for a decision on whether the first test will take place at the Adelaide Oval on December 17th.
The ODI and T20 series are played as two games at SCG, two at Manber Oval in Canberra and the last two games at SCG.
Legendary Australian wicket keeper Ian Healy has suggested that a drastic solution could be to play all games between Sydney and Canberra.
“It just all depends on how Adelaide is doing,” Healy told SEN. “You are all in Sydney and I think there will come a time when travel needs to be minimized.
“You can’t send 100 people across the country, you have probably 50 people in each party, India and Australia.
“Then there’s the broadcaster, which is probably about 130 strong, then the teams and equipment that have to go.
“They cross the country every year, they have a truck on the east coast with all the equipment and then a truck from Tasmania, South Australia and Perth that drives this route.
“It’s pretty complicated in these times. Adelaide has just shut down and the first test is taking place in Adelaide.
“I think somewhere on the other side the best option might be to stop traveling and stay in New South Wales – Sydney and Canberra should host all summer.
“They’re still trying to do the traditional rotation around the states, but maybe sometime next week they’ll say we can’t.”
Adelaide, Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane are currently hosting the friendly matches. India has only won once – in 1978 – at the SCG in 12 test matches, with six draws and five wins for Australia.
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