Ind vs Aus: 5 Indian players put in isolation as precautionary measure post outing

Cricket Australia on Saturday said that Rohit Sharma, Rishabh Pant, Shubman Gill, Prithvi Shaw, and Navdeep Saini have been put in isolation as a precautionary measure after these five players were seen eating at an indoor venue in Melbourne on New Year's Day.

The Cricket Australia release said: "In the interim, on the advice of the Australian and Indian medical teams, the aforementioned players have been placed in isolation as a precaution. This will include separating the group of players from the broader Indian and Australian squads when traveling and at the training venue."

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and Cricket Australia (CA) were alerted to a video post on social media that purported to show Rohit, Pant, Gill, Shaw, and Saini eating at an indoor venue in Melbourne on New Year's Day.

The BCCI and CA are now investigating the matter and seeking to determine whether the outing constitutes a breach of biosecurity protocols. The players will be permitted to train in accordance with the strict protocols that have been put in place to ensure the ongoing safety of all members of the Indian and Australian squads.

"Similar measures were taken during the BBL this season after it was determined two Brisbane Heat players failed to comply with tournament biosecurity protocols," Cricket Australia further said.

Earlier on Saturday, speaking to , sources in the know of developments in the team said that the players had followed all safety protocols and there was no need for any investigation as the fan had himself done a U-turn and said that there was no physical contact after initially claiming that Pant had hugged him.

"The boys had just gone out to a restaurant to get some food. They followed all the necessary protocols and their temperature was checked and proper stization was done before they sat on the table. There is no need to make an issue out of this. As for the whole question of a fan being hugged by Pant, the fan has himself confessed that he had said that out of excitement," the source pointed.

The Indian and Australian team is currently in Melbourne as they are training for the third Test of the series which is to be played at the Sydney Cricket Ground from January 7. The two teams will head to Sydney on Monday.

Earlier, a fan in a series of tweets claimed that he had paid the bill of the Indian players at the restaurant. He also said that he ordered extra food so could he watch the players eating in the restaurant. He went on to add that he had been hugged by Pant.

But on Saturday, he pushed out a clarification saying: "Pant never hugged me it was all said in excitement we maintained social distance all thru J Apologies for miscommunication @BCCI @CricketAus @dailytelegraph (sic)."

( With inputs from ANI )