The Indian cricket team is all set to leave for Brisbane on Tuesday after BCCI secretary Jay Shah`s assurance to Cricket Australia ended the uncertainty over the fourth and final Test at the venue, which has reduced its crowd capacity to 50 per cent for the game. The BCCI had written to CA about relaxation of hard quarantine rules in Brisbane as complying with them would have confined the Indian players to their hotel rooms after the day`s play, something they had strong reservations about. The match starts January 15. "I want to thank the Queensland Government for their cooperation and willingness to working closely with CA and the BCCI so we can deliver the fourth Test as planned," CA interim CEO Nick Hockley said in a statement. "...but more importantly delivering on a plan that places the safety and wellbeing of the players, match officials and the wider community as a top priority," he added.

Over the past week, all BCCI sources PTI spoke to confirmed that not for once a change of venue has been sought but did assert why back-to-back hard quarantine wasn`t ideal for the mental health of the touring players. The players are now expected to be in an IPL like bio-bubble where they can mingle among themselves in the hotel. The problem arose after Queensland closed its borders for people travelling from New South Wales in the wake of fresh COVID-19 cases in Sydney. However, the Indian players were exempted and were to follow a strict quarantine. What added to the uncertainty over the game was a three-day lockdown announced last week after the highly contagious UK variant of COVID-19 was found in the city. With the clarity over the game emerging finally, CA also announced the crowd seating plan.