NSW considers Cricket Australia proposal which could save India's $300 million tour
Cricket Australia has formally approached the NSW government for India to quarantine in Sydney, in a move that could lead to the city kicking off the international men's season.
NSW Jobs, Investment, Tourism and Western Sydney Minister Stuart Ayres confirmed the government had received the proposal from CA, which is scrambling for an 11th-hour solution after pushback from Queensland health officials.
Virat Kohli's India defeated Australia during their last series here.Credit:Getty Images
If accepted, it would likely result in the six Twenty20 and one-day international games at the start of India's $300 million tour being moved from Brisbane and Gold Coast to Sydney and possibly Canberra.
"Cricket Australia has approached the NSW government about quarantining the Indian cricket team and returning Australian cricketers in Sydney," Ayres said.
"That proposal is currently being assessed by NSW authorities including health and police.
"Fixtures for the Indian tour will be determined by Cricket Australia and won’t impact our assessment of the quarantine proposal."
Sydney officials have also put their hands up to stage the Boxing Day Test if Melbourne is unavailable.
CA had planned for India to serve their two-week quarantine in Brisbane and train at Allan Border Field. It has been waiting for weeks for the green light from Queensland, which has an election on October 31, but nothing has not been forthcoming.
A stumbling block is the ability of India's players to train while in quarantine.
Queensland Deputy Premier Steven Miles said discussions between Queensland Health and CA were ongoing.
"I understand there was a further meeting yesterday," he said on Tuesday.
Miles on Monday expressed concern about the India team returning from the bubble used in the Indian Premier League being held in the UAE, saying it was a "very different" scenario to the AFL-style hub.
CA initially applied to the WA government for Australian players to quarantine and train in Perth upon returning from the tour of England and the IPL, but that was knocked back.
Players instead served their quarantine in Adelaide, where the Victorian squad is completing two weeks of quarantine under stringent guidelines, with training to be conducted in groups no larger than four.
Andrew Wu writes on cricket and AFL for The Sydney Morning Herald
Jon Pierik is cricket writer for The Age. He also covers AFL and has won awards for his cricket and basketball writing.