Pat Cummins, Australia’s regular Test captain, has been allowed to go back home to Sydney,
where the fourth Test will be played from January 5, Cricket Australia
confirmed on Friday. Cummins was ruled out of the ongoing Adelaide pink-ball
Test after coming in contact with a COVID-19 positive person on the eve of the
second Ashes Test. Cummins dinned at the same restaurant as the positive case on
Wednesday night.

Also Read: Ashes: Cummins out of 2nd Test after contact with COVID positive person

Cummins,
however, tested negative on Thursday, on the day day-night Test started at the
Adelaide Oval, and has been cleared by South Australia’s SA Health to return
home by a chartered flight, Cricket Australia (CA) said. As Cummins missed the
second Test, Steve Smith, who last captained in 2018, was asked to lead
Australia in the Adelaide Test.

“Under
the plan approved by SA Health, he will self-drive from isolation and then,
with the appropriate PPE and hygiene controls, take a single charter
flight,” the CA said. “Cricket Australia will continue to consult
with SA Health to ensure compliance with the plan. He will continue to observe
all isolation requirements in NSW.”

Also Read: 1st Test: Cummins notches fifer on captaincy debut as England fold for 147

Will
Cummins be allowed to return to Melbourne?

In
Australia, every state has different COVID-19 protocol. Because of this rule,
Perth lost a chance to host a Test for two consecutive summers. This COVID-19
protocol could also block Cummins’ return to the Boxing Day Test in Melbourne,
starting on December 26.

Though
Cummins produced a negative COVID result, his return to the third Test will
depend on the Victoria government’s consent. As per the COVID-19 protocol in
force in Melbourne, a person must quarantine himself for 14 days since his last
contact with a positive case in order to return to the state. In Cummins’ case, he came in contact with a
COVID-19 positive on December 16 and the Melbourne Test is scheduled to start
on December 26. So, Cummins will be four days short of completing the mandatory
quarantine period.

Also Read: Steve Smith to Joe Root: 5 players to watch out for in Ashes 2021

It will be interesting
to see whether the Victoria government twists its COVID isolation rule for
Australia’s captain Pat Cummins, under whose captaincy Australia won the first Test in Brisbane and took a 1-0 lead over England in the five-Test series.