'Don't need housekeeping or room service for motivation': India batting coach Vikram Rathour

Quarantine, bio-secure protocols, and mental health have been in as much focus as the action on the field in the ongoing India vs Australia Border-Gavaskar Trophy. Days after India finally agreed to play the fourth Test in Brisbane in hard quarantine, reports emerged of Indian cricketers asked to stay inside their hotel rooms without housekeeping or room service in Brisbane. It was only after intervention from the BCCI that the Indian cricketers were allowed to use the swimming pool and get room service.

When asked about the incidents and how the team coped with it, India batting coach Vikram Rathour gave a stunning answer.

For Rathour, the problems in the hotel didn't for once affect their focus on the Test match ahead.

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"We are playing Australia in Australia against one of the best attacks in the world. So I think motivation is there. You don't need housekeeping or room service to motivate yourself," Rathour said on the eve of the fourth Test.

"Of course, these were concerns which were passed on to BCCI, I think the BCCI is in touch with CA to deal with all these things. As far as team is concerned, we are focussed on the game and we are looking forward towards this game," he added.

Australian skipper Tim Paine admitted that life inside a bio-bubble could be challenging for the Indian team in an alien land without family but his own players, including Steve Smith, have also endured similar difficulties since the Indian Premier League in the UAE.

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The Indian and Australian teams are once again in a hard quarantine after new cases of UK mutant strain were found in the Queensland capital. The organisers have provided only basic facilities to the players.

The four-match series is currently locked at 1-1 with both sides looking to go for victory in Brisbane.

Apart from the quarantine and mental fatigue, India are also grappling with multiple injuries to their first XI players. Question marks over Jasprit Bumrah, R Ashwin, Rishabh Pant, and Mayank Agarwal's fitness have forced India to hold on to their Playing XI announcement. Rathour confirmed that India will only announce their final team at the toss on Friday.