India vs Australia: Visiting team checks into new hotel on eve of first ODI after 14-day 'soft quarantine'

Sydney: The visiting Indian cricket team on Thursday checked into a new hotel here, entering a bio-secure bubble after completing a 14-day “soft quarantine” on the outskirts of the city. India’s much-anticipated tour of Australia begins on Friday with the first ODI at the Sydney Cricket Ground in front of a limited crowd amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The visiting players and support staff were staying at Pullman in Sydney Olympic Park during their “soft quarantine” where they only met at the ground during training. Also, no player was allowed to sit beside each other and multiple buses were used for travelling to and fro. After the completion of the two-week quarantine, the Indian team moved into the Inter Continental Hotel, which had been its traditional hub during previous tours to this part of the country. Having entered the bio-bubble, players will now have a bit more freedom where they can at least meet each other within a controlled environment and have meals together. Needless to say, the 14-day quarantine has been challenging for the players who landed here straight from the UAE after spending nearly three months in a bio-bubble for the Indian Premier League. India’s white-ball vice-captain KL Rahul admitted that he felt a lot better when he got together with his teammates for training. “Challenge has been being in the room alone. The time you practice, meet teammates, is the best time in the day. You have fun together. Challenge is mostly when you are back in the room and all alone,” Rahul said. The Indian team is in Australia for a full-fledged tour comprising three ODIs, as many T20 Internationals and four Tests. The tour begins on Friday with the first ODI here while the Test series starts on 17 December in Adelaide.