Reports: CA denied ECB's request to move first Ashes Test from Brisbane to Sydney

Even before a ball is bowled in the Ashes series, which is scheduled to begin Down Under on December 8, it has managed to grab eyeballs. After a lot of deliberation and discussion, the England Cricket Board (ECB) has finally agreed to send a full-strength squad. Now, if reports are to be believed, then Cricket Australia (CA) has turned down the request of ECB to shift the first Ashes Test match to Sydney.

As per the original schedule, the Test match is going to be played in Brisbane. It is one of three bigger cities in Australia where mandatory 14 days quarantine is necessary for travelers due to a surge in cases in recent times, Brisbane has also failed to get the vaccination drive going, and that has resulted in the government resorting to such measures. The England players are not keen to undergo 14 days quarantine, and so they had requested the Test match to be played in Sydney.

England had picked Sydney as the venue because it is set to become the first state to allow fully vaccinated travelers from November. The players also don’t need to undergo quarantine if they show a negative COVID-19 report. ECB also agreed to players demand but the CA are not in favor.

As per a report in Daily Mail, CA didn’t quite like the idea right. It also said that the other states' border controls and regulations might not favor the England team. CA feels the change in schedule at the last minute will disturb the Ashes series.  Former England captain Kevin Pietersen didn’t like CA’s stance and said the players must be tried of bio-bubble.

“There is NO WAY I would go to The Ashes this winter.  ZERO chance! Unless the ridiculous quarantine rules were squashed and my family could travel with zero restrictions. Players are now done with bubbles! DONE!!!!!!!,” Pietersen tweeted.