Ending all the speculations the Victorian government, on Monday (October 26), confirmed that crowd will be allowed to attend the iconic Boxing Day Test match at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) this year between Australia and the touring Indian team.
After no new case COVID-19 was recorded in Victoria on Monday, the local authorities have decided to ease the coronavirus restrictions in the state as well as in the capital Melbourne. After four months of strict lockdown, the city will soon open up, which is a huge sigh of relief of the local cricket enthusiasts.
“The Boxing Day Test of course is very different because that is some way off,” confirming the developments the Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews told reporters. “I am very confident that we will get a crowd at the MCG for the Boxing Day Test. I don’t know how big it will be but there will be a crowd. That’s the advice that I have, that’s what we’re working towards.”
During the upcoming tour of Australia, India will be playing three ODIs, three T20Is and four Test matches between November 2020 and January 2021. However, with just a month left for the start of the tour, Cricket Australia is yet to confirm the final schedule and venues due to Australia’s state-wise lockdown protocols. Still, most of the state borders still closed in Australia and inter-state travel in not permitted. The Indian team has been given a special permission from the Australia government for this tour but they have to honour the strict quarantine rule during this tour.
Meanwhile, during the red-ball leg of this much-anticipated tour, there will be a day-night Test match as well, which is likely to be played in Adelaide in the first week of December.