Former Indian cricketer Sunil Gavaskar talked about the ongoing speculations over the venue of the fourth Test in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
The BCCI has written to Cricket Australia for relaxation of hard quarantine in Brisbane and the home board has given verbal assurances. However, a new three-day lockdown in Brisbane has cast a shadow over the game scheduled from January 15.
Gavaskar, on his stint with Australia's Channel 7 in the ongoing Sydney Test, talked about the issue in detail. He said that the Indian team only wants to be "treated like other Australians," stressing majorly on the mental aspects of hard quarantine.
The graphic on 7Cricket showed that Indian players have already served 142 days in quarantine since the beginning of the 2020 Indian Premier League.
"By the time they finish the tour, it will be 150 days in quarantine," Gavaskar said.
"I spent 14 days in quarantine, and that was tough. I can understand because I didn't have any pressure of performing for my country. When you have the pressure of performing for your country, and then you're in quarantine, all kinds of thoughts can engulf you and make it even worse.
"And that's the reason it is so important to have an interaction. A social interaction with teammates and friends, and that's what the Indian team is looking for. When you do the hard quarantine, you go back to room. If you have a bad day, all kinds of thought come to mind.
"What the Indians want is they should be treated just like other Australians. Australians who would come to grounds, who will go back to families or go to the pub, or to the park with friends. That's what they want. So that they will be able to enjoy the fresh air, because the thoughts of the game do not crowd their mind."
However, Gavaskar affirmed that the Indian team will honour its commitment to play the final Test in Brisbane.
"I don't think we will get to a situation when they will say that we are not going to go to Brisbane. They will honour the commitment," said Gavaskar.
