Is Sourav Ganguly negotiating reduced quarantine terms for Rohit Sharma, Ishant Sharma ahead of Australia tour?

With Indian crickets maintaining 14 days quarantine after they landed in Australia for their series Down Under, two players who did not travel with the squad were Rohit Sharam and Ishant Sharma.

However, India coach Ravi Shastri said that it will get difficult for both Rohit and Ishant Sharma to feature in the test series if their recoveries take time and don't reach Australia early.

Now talking about the same, Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) president Sourav Ganguly would likely be trying to negotiate quarantine terms with Cricket Australia (CA) as the duo need relaxation in rules if they are to be a part of the Test series from December 17. 

Speaking to ANI, sources in the know of developments said that Ganguly will discuss the situation with Cricket Australia and look to find a solution to the issue. The two are undergoing rehabilitation at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru.

"The BCCI president will be speaking to his counterpart at Cricket Australia and a decision will be reached after their meeting. The current quarantine guidelines might make it impossible for the two to reach Australia, and be a part of the Test series as, under existing rules, they will need to completely isolate themselves and cannot train in the quarantine period.

"The rest of the Indian cricketers were allowed to train during the quarantine period because they moved from one bubble - in Dubai - to the other - in Sydney. So, relaxation will be needed if the two are to be a part of the Test series," the source explained.

The Indian cricket team moved from one bio-bubble in Dubai to another in Sydney, however, because Ishant and Rohit will be travelling straight from India which is not a bio-bubble to Australia, there is a mandatory 14-day isolated quarantine.

Also, with International flights suspended from India till December 31, the prospects of Rohit Sharma and Ishant Sharma playing both the Tests in Sydney and Brisbane are also minimal. 

Earlier, NCA head Rahul Dravid had said that Ishant would be fit in time for the Tests, there are now questions on whether he would be ready for the rigours of Test cricket.

In Rohit's case, the batsman looks like he will need a couple of days more before he can be a 100 per cent fit and the more days he spends at the NCA, it means one day closer to the opening day of the day-night Test at Adelaide Oval.

ANI had reported on November 11 -- the day after the IPL 2020 final -- that while the Indian players who were part of the encounter on November 10 will be moved into the bubble for the national team that very night and Rohit was sent back to India and told to head to NCA to complete his rehab.

The BCCI had also informed the media of the decision to add Rohit to the squad for the Test series, after initially excluding him from the tour due to the hamstring injury.