The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on Saturday revised India’s tour of South Africa amid the Omicron variant threat in the rainbow nation as per the scheduled dates.
Team India will play 3 Tests and 3 ODIs against South Africa but the scheduled T20 internationals “will be played at a later date”, confirmed the BCCI secretary Jay Shah while also ending speculation surrounding the series after a new COVID-19 variant triggered anxiety.
However, the tourists will arrive in the country a week later than originally scheduled and it is likely the first Test will start on December 26, Boxing Day, with two more to be played in January. The series was originally set to begin on December 17.
Mr. Shah’s statement came as the BCCI officials met for the Board’s Annual General Meeting in Kolkata.
“BCCI has confirmed (to the ) CSA that (the) Indian team will travel for three Tests and three ODIs. The remaining four T20Is will be played at a later date,” Mr. Shah said in a statement.
The venues for the series will be finalised in the next 48 hours, with the first two Tests originally scheduled for Johannesburg and Pretoria. Both those cities are in Gauteng province, which is the current epicentre of a surge of COVID-19 infections in South Africa.
“With the Proteas men’s team having already participated in no less than eight international cricket BSEs, CSA is pleased to announce that this tour will also take place under the strictest Covid-19 guidelines, as contained in the BSE protocols,” the CSA release said.
“CSA is also pleased to confirm that the allocation of match venues will still be in respect of the Bubble Safe Environment (BSEs) and therefore the decision on the allocations will take into account the need for safer playing environments.
“CSA has instituted these world class standards and measures to ensure that all players, staff and officials are protected within this environment. CSA’s main focus is to safeguard the cricket biosphere by managing strict entry standards and limited movement outside of its cordon. CSA will confirm the venues in the next 48 hours.”
The Netherlands opted to end their three-match ODI series in South Africa after the first game last month, though they stressed that was due to travel difficulties rather than any issues with the bio-secure environment the teams were in.
India A are currently in South Africa and completed the second of three unofficial Tests against South Africa A on Friday. The third game is set to start on Monday.
