Former Australia leg-spinner Shane Warne has requested the country’s cricket board to keep the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) as the venue for the Boxing Day Test against India scheduled to be played towards the end of the year despite an increase in coronavirus cases in the state of Victoria.

Cricket Australia is likely to announce the schedule for India’s tour of Australia, which includes the four-Test Border-Gavaskar Trophy, this week and there are fears that the iconic MCG may lose the Boxing Day Test.

“Cricket is the 2nd biggest sport in the world behind soccer(fact) & the biggest day on the Aust sporting calendar is the Boxing Day test. We must try & do everything possible to keep it at the MCG this year. FYI- The Melb Cup & the AFL GF are the next biggest events in Aust! (sic),” Warne said in a tweet.