Australian fast bowling legend Glenn McGrath who has been associated with the new year’s first Test in Sydney, which is now known as the Pink Test for quite some time, will not be available for the first time to present players with their caps.
Since the Test came to be known colloquially as the Pink Test in memory of Jane McGrath, the late wife of the former Aussie pacer, McGrath himself presents pink caps to all players as part of an awareness campaign against breast cancer.
"Glenn has had a PCR test which unfortunately returned a positive result. We wish Glenn and his family good health,” McGrath Foundation chief executive Holly Masters informed the media.
"We are grateful to our partners at Cricket Australia and the SCG. As well as the England cricket team and the broadcasters for their ongoing support for the Pink Test and look forward to still making this the 'pinkest' Ashes," she added.
Jane died due to this vicious disease and since then the 51-year-old is running the McGrath Foundation which supports patients suffering from breast cancer all around Australia.
The third day of the SCG Test is known as Jane McGrath Day and audiences donate funds directly to the McGrath Foundation as efforts are made by Cricket Australia, broadcasters as well as the foundation itself to make the day as rewarding in terms of financial donations as possible.
It is yet unknown if McGrath would be able to make it to the ground on the third day or not. The fourth Test against England begins on January 05th and Australia already leads the series 3-0.