Adelaide willing to host more than one India Test if tour goes ahead

With the facility of drop-in pitches, more than one Test can be accommodated at the Adelaide Oval, says South Australian cricket chief Keith Bradshaw.

The Adelaide Oval underwent renovation in 2012 to increase its spectator-capacity and make it a multi-sport facility. The stadium now has the facility of drop-in pitches.

With the global spread of COVID-19 putting a temporary stop to international and domestic cricket around the world, India's scheduled tour to Australia later this year is in doubt.

The lack of clarity over opening of Australia's borders has compounded the concern. But South Australian cricket chief Keith Bradshaw has said Adelaide can potentially host India in more than one Test, if the challenges of inter-State travel remain when – and if – the series gets underway.

The final approval is subject to the agreement of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and Cricket Australia (CA).

“With the more contemporary drop in surfaces at Adelaide Oval (installed in 2013) and the top-notch technology at our disposal, we can accommodate more than one Test with two different types of pitches, should there be a need,” Bradshaw told Sportstar .

'Best foot forward'

“We would love to host India for as long as they want to stay here. If they come here to isolate, we will provide them with the best facilities... That said, it all depends on CA and their approval because other big venues would want to host these matches, too. We don’t know what the situation will be a few months down the line, whether it will be easy for teams to travel around Australia. However, as far as the tour is concerned, we have reason to be positive. The feedback from CA suggests their discussions are going well with BCCI at the moment. We are all putting our best foot forward.”

Earlier, SACA had offered Adelaide Oval’s new hotel as a potential quarantine centre for the Indian team during its upcoming tour. The new USD 42 million hotel is expected to open in September and is well-equipped to take care of the players’ dining and nutrition options while giving them access to great training facilities, according to Bradshaw.

The teams are scheduled to play four Tests and three One-Day Internationals in December and January, but efforts are on to squeeze in a fifth Test or a couple of extra limited-overs matches.

The BCCI had said last week that India will be willing to undertake a two-week quarantine period in if it meant the tour Down Under could proceed. Professional sport in Australia is set to resume at the end of May with the National Rugby League.