After the cancellation of Team India’s second practice game against Cricket Australia XI, the first Test match at Brisbane Cricket Ground between India and Australia is up in the air.
The series opener is slated to start next week at the Gabba but Cricket Australia (CA) is yet to decide whether to go ahead with the opening match, starting December 4 in Brisbane.
Cricket Australia chief executive James Sutherland in a press conference informed that the board is yet to get in touch with the players and but they will do that in time.
“We all love cricket and nobody loves cricket more than Phillip. Cricket will go on and it will go on when we’re ready,” Sutherland said. “We haven’t broached the subject with the players yet – we will in time. But, to be honest, they’ve got other things on their mind.”
“They’re grieving and they’ve lost someone that’s incredibly close to them,” he added. “It’s really important to give people time and people will respond in different ways to what they’re going through.”
The cancellation of second practice match means, Team India will head into the Gabba Test with virtually no practice, while Australian players are not in best frame of mind for the series opener.
Sutherland said that they are in constant touch with the BCCI in these “extraordinary circumstances” and the Indian board’s support has been “absolute outstanding”.
“We’ve been in constant contact with the officials from the Indian Cricket Board and I’ve got to say that their understanding and empathy has been absolutely outstanding,” Sutherland said.
“They completely understand the situation and they’re doing everything they can to do that. They will prepare themselves in the best way possible,” he concluded.
“They understand that these are unique and extraordinary circumstances and I guess both teams will have, if a test match goes ahead, both teams will have a very different preparation.”
