New Delhi: The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) chief Sourav Ganguly on Saturday confirmed that Virat Kohli-led Team India will tour Australia in December. However, the former Indian skipper called for a shortened quarantine period for the players.
"Ya, ya, we have confirmed that tour. In December we will be coming. We just hope the number of quarantine days get reduced a bit," Ganguly told a TV channel.
"Because we don't want the players to go all that far and sit in hotel rooms for two weeks. It is very, very depressing and disappointing."
Speaking about India's tour Down Under, Ganguly insisted that so far Australia has managed to control the spread of the novel coronavirus, barring Melbourne. The second-biggest city of Australia recently witnessed a surge in cases and has been put under lockdown.
"And, as I said Australia and New Zealand have been in good position except Melbourne. So from that point of view we will be going there and hopefully the quarantine days will be less and we can get back to cricket."
Earlier, Windies squad that travelled to the United Kingdom for three-match Test series had to spend 14 days in quarantine.
Team India are slated to play four Test matches Down Under in December-January. Virat Kohli-led outfit had scripted history by winning a four-Test series in Australia 2-1 in 2018-19.
"It is going to be a tough series. It is not going to be what it was two years back. It is going to be a strong Australia but our team is as good," said Ganguly.
"We have the batting, we have the bowling. We just need to bat better. You the best team overseas bat well.
"When we were so successful in England, in Australia, in Pakistan we were getting 400-500-600 in Test matches. I said that to Virat as well."
Ganguly also backed Virat Kohli and co to do well in Australia.
"Because you are Virat Kohli your standards are high. When you walk out to play, when you walk out with your team, I, watching on TV, don't expect you to just play well against Australia. I expect you to win," said the former India captain.
"So you have to live up to the standards. For his captaincy tenure this will be a milestone series - more than the World Cup."
