'Haven't heard them whinge': Cricket great blasts India after Gabba report
Aussie cricket legends Brad Haddin and Andrew Symonds have ripped into India after reports suggested the visitors were ‘not keen’ for the fourth Test in Brisbane.
India's frustrations over the planned quarantine conditions in Queensland threw doubt over the venue of the series finale on Sunday, with the tourists reportedly wanting a move from Brisbane.
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That was met with a firm resistance by Australia's players, who see the Gabba as their fortress and none of whom would remember seeing the team lose a Test there.
At the heart of India's issues is believed to be a frustration that they have already served a 14-day quarantine on entry to the country, and don't want to endure it again.
It's a situation an Indian official claims they would not be happy with.
"We aren't keen on going to Brisbane if it means being stuck in the hotel again, except for going to the ground," a source in the Indian camp told Cricbuzz.
"Instead we don't mind being in some other city, playing both Test matches there to complete the series and returning home."
This prompted former Aussie wicket-keeper Haddin to hit out at India’s reported ‘whinging’ after claiming they want to avoid the Gabba due to Australia’s strong record at the ground.
“There’s a lot of moving parts here. The one thing is these guys have been in a bubble for a long, long time and they might just start to be getting a little bit tired.
“Yes it’s been a long time now they’ve been in quarantine first with IPL and now with the Australian summer. But it’s the same with the Australian teams, we haven’t heard them whinge and they’ve just got on with it.
“To me, it just looks like they’re trying not to play at the Gabba.”
Andrew Symonds was more cheeky with his comments.
The former allrounder alluded to his run-in with Indian spinner Harbhajan Singh and the BCCI years back when he said: “Have you ever had any dealings with the BCCI?”
“They seem to have a fair bit of power over people.”
Symonds suggested he can’t see India not getting their way.
India receives boost ahead of Gabba Test
The mission to keep the fourth Test at the Gabba has been given a boost with confirmation players will not need to quarantine in their own hotel room.
But while Queensland's chief health officer Dr Jeannette Young said the state would not bend rules given they were coming from a COVID hot spot in Sydney, players could mix inside the hotel.
"They will be confined to the hotel. We have worked with them they can have bubbles within that hotel," Dr Young said.
"Because they are going to be going and playing with colleagues in the matches so they will have exposure there.
"So it doesn't expose me if they have exposure to each other in the hotel."
Cricket Australia say no official approach has been made about the Test, while SCG staff have previously indicated they could prepare a pitch for a second straight Test if needed.
But Australian players are adamant the match should stay in Brisbane, expecting sacrifices to be made from the relative freedom they have had in Adelaide and Melbourne.
with AAP
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