Many key members of the Indian cricket team have found themselves in troubled waters after images of players like Rohit Sharma, Prithvi Shaw, Rishabh Pant, Navdeep Saini and Shubman Gill enjoying a meal in an indoors Melbourne restaurant, surfaced online.

Given the ongoing coronavirus pandemic all around the globe, governments of various countries and cities have established a certain set of preventive guidelines which, the abovementioned members of the Men in Blue, allegedly broke when they visited the eating joint recently.

Bc mere saamne waale table par gill pant sharma saini fuckkkkkk pic.twitter.com/yQUvdu3shF

— Navaldeep Singh (@NavalGeekSingh) January 1, 2021

Ever since, the cricketing world is split in two halves, those who’re favouring the Indian cricketers for they had already finished a 14-day quarantine period ahead of going out in the open, and “follow local rules,” as mentioned by a BCCI source in a Hindustan Times report and those who feel that the athletes should have stayed inside the bio-bubble.

Now, reports of Team India’s unwillingness to travel to Brisbane for the ultimate Test of the series have begun to emerge. The problem allegedly comes with the cricketers’ reluctance to be under yet another quarantine in the city. Instead, they’d prefer to have the third and fourth Tests in Sydney itself. 

The Australians have not taken this approach lightly which has led to significant outrage on social media, starting with Ros Bates, Member of the Queensland Legislative Assembly, being completely blunt about the situation:

Today I was asked about reports the Indian Cricket Team wants quarantine restrictions eased just for them, ahead of the upcoming Gabba Test. My response #Cricket #IndiavsAustralia @ICC @CricketAus pic.twitter.com/MV7W0rIntM

— Ros Bates MP (@Ros_Bates_MP) January 3, 2021

“If the Indians don’t want to play by the rules, don’t come,” she said.

Several others have echoed Ms. Bates’ sentiments and have asked the Indian cricketers to fall in line or not come altogether:

Not a fan of the Queensland govt. but have to say I agree they shouldn’t be making exceptions for Cricket players #AUSvsIND

— HappyHammer (@HappyHammer69) January 3, 2021

She's perfectly correct. Indians always want a concession in everything, their country, their rules. Play or leave. I don't consider this an Insult at all. we Indians always "bend" the rules for sportspersons,celebrities, Politicians. This must stop.

— Abhishek (@abywitte) January 3, 2021

My point is that the BCCI is always trying to avoid playing at the Gabba rather than backing its team to defy history there. It’s not a winner’s attitude.

— Elijah (@Elijah_in_Exile) January 3, 2021

If you can’t follow the rules don’t be a guest

— Muhammad Adeel (@Muhamma41027708) January 3, 2021

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