Agencies
ADELAIDE, December 1
Adelaide will host the first Test between Australia and India starting on December 9 while Brisbane will host the second Test on December 17. The dates of the Melbourne Test remain unchanged while the Sydney Test has been pushed back from January 3 to January 6. The Indian team will also play a warm-up game on December 4-5 in Adelaide. The original Test schedule was changed following the death of Phillip Hughes.Earlier on Monday, a report in the Brisbane Herald Sun suggested that the opening Test would be held in the South Australian capital. Adelaide was slated to host the second Test from December 12 but the revised itinerary may see that being advanced. Adelaide Oval could be a fitting venue for Australia’s first match after Hughes’ death, given it was his adopted home ground for the past two summers with South Australia.
“We’re continuing to work through a range of scenarios related to the Test match,” a Cricket Australia spokesman had told the Herald Sun. “As soon as we have confirmation we will let the Australian public know as a priority. We appreciate the Australian public’s patience in these extraordinary and difficult circumstances.”
The start of the final Test, due to begin on January 3, may be deferred by a few days since the officials do not want to place an enormous workload on the players in a short span of time.
Earlier on Monday, India’s squad chose to stay in Adelaide rather than head to Brisbane, as was originally scheduled. “They are remaining in Adelaide until details for the first Test have been confirmed,” a CA spokesman said on Monday. India’s squad had been due to board a flight at lunchtime from Adelaide to Brisbane.
ACA chief Alastair Nicholson has also told the fans to be patient regarding the uncertainty of the situation.
“The players are going through a grieving process and they must be afforded the opportunity to do so. As anyone can appreciate, this process doesn’t run according to a clock or a calendar. This is a unique situation and a unique response is required,” Nicholson said.
Tributes continued to pour in for Hughes and Australian skipper Michael Clarke delivered a poignant statement on Sunday on what would have been Hughes’ 26th birthday. Clarke and the Australian players will arrive in Macksville on Wednesday.
