After a lot of discussion and controversy regarding Team India’s reluctance in traveling to Brisbane amidst concerns of strict quarantine rules, team India has finally arrived in Brisbane. For the unversed, it was a few days the state of Queensland was forced into hard lockdown once again recently after a new strain of Coronavirus from the United Kingdom was found.
#TeamIndia ??#AUSvIND pic.twitter.com/hWtzSR8rlv
— BCCI (@BCCI) January 11, 2021
Ajinkya Rahane led team India has finally moved to Sofitel, a five-star hotel. The hotel is around 4kms away from the Gabba ground, where the fourth and last test match will be played starting from 15th January. However, as per the reports issued by TOI, the Indian contingent talked about the hotel highly and termed the quarantine life at the hospital as a ‘prison for all practical purposes.’
“Bruised. Broken. But never short of character” #TeamIndia #AUSvIND pic.twitter.com/QpkfjfR6h8
— BCCI (@BCCI) January 11, 2021
Because of the strict lockdown rules, the hotel has been closed for other guests. As per the Indian contingent, the situation has also forced the Indian players to be in desperate situations such that they will have to clan their own rooms and even toilets as well. The official traveling with the team revealed:
“We are locked up in our rooms, have to make our own beds, clean our own toilets. Food is coming from a nearby Indian restaurant which will be given to us on our floor. We can’t move out of the floor that’s been designated to us,”
The official added:
“The entire hotel is empty, but we can’t use any amenities in the hotel including the swimming pool and the gym. All the cafes and restaurants in the hotel are shut. But how is a team struggling with injuries expected to recover if basic amenities like pool and gym are not allowed? There’s no other guest in the hotel. It’s empty. Then why can’t the players use the amenities,”
