A rapid rise in COVID-19 cases, especially in the state of Victoria in Australia, has left the authorities concerned, and they’re now unsure about the traditional Boxing Day Test going ahead as scheduled at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.

The Australian state of Victoria had 75 new cases on Monday (June 29), and as a result, neighbouring state Queensland have closed their borders to ensure there is no threat of the virus spreading.

India are set to tour Australia for a four-Test series beginning in the month of December. The first Test is supposed to get underway at the Gabba in Brisbane, Queensland from December 3.

The second Test is slated to be a day-night affair between the two sides at the Adelaide Oval.

The Cricket Australia (CA) said in a statement that the decision was mutually decided between them and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and that they remained committed to playing the series on “alternative dates”.

The CA will bank heavily on the year-ending four-match Test series against India to boost its revenues. Should the infection spread in Victoria, CA could be forced to look at alternative venues for the Boxing Day Test.

Boxing Day Test could be moved out of the MCG

Former Australian captain Mark Taylor said that the Boxing Day Test could definitely move out of Melbourne, and that the Optus Stadium in Perth or the Adelaide Oval could be alternate venues for the Boxing Day Test.

The spurt comes at a time when Australia and Zimbabwe have agreed to postpone three One-Day Internationals scheduled in August. Zimbabwe were due to play the first match at an undecided venue in north Australia on August 9, with another clash set to take place three days later, followed by a final fixture in Townsville on August 15.

Queensland have issued new directives that force teams based in the state into a 14-day quarantine, should they play a club in Melbourne.

But Queensland clubs would also be forced into quarantine if they either played in Melbourne, or came up against any team that had been in Melbourne in the preceding 14 days.

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