Indian cricketers Rohit Sharma, Rishabh Pant, Shubman Gill, Navdeep Saini and Prithvi Shaw have come under the scanner of BCCI and Cricket Australia for breaking the bio-secure bubble in Australia.
It has come to notice that the cricketers had “hugged” a fan while dining out in Melbourne, where team India are currently lodged before the third Test against Australia begin in Sydney on January 7.
Even though the cricketers are allowed to dine out, the bio-bubble rules set by CA state that strict social distancing needs to be maintained. The team members have also been directed to avoid indoor places outside the bubble.
Reportedly, the fan has apologised for his statement and clarified that he did not hug any cricketer and all of them maintained physical distancing.
Official communication from both BCCI and CA is awaited. If the players are found guilty of breaching the COVID-19 protocols, all of them would be sent to mandatory quarantine, meaning absence from the Sydney Test.
Meanwhile, India on Tuesday defeated Australia by eight wickets in the Boxing-Day Test at the Melbourne Cricket Cricket Ground to level the four-match series 1-1.
Set a target of 70 after Australia were dismissed for 200 in their second innings on Tuesday, the Indians got to the target for the loss of opener Mayank Agarwal (5) and No. 3 Cheteshwar Pujara (3).
Shubman Gill, who hit seven fours in a delightful innings, was unbeaten on 35 and skipper Ajinkya Rahane on 27.
Rahane, who scored a gritty hundred in the first innings to lead India’s comeback at the Down Under, said going in with five bowlers worked well.