Xtra Time Web Desk: Team India’s forthcoming tour to South Africa is in serious doubts following growing concerns of the new COVID-19 variant. Virat Kohli and his boys is supposed to travel to South Africa immediately following the home series against New Zealand. The Indian team is scheduled to pay three tests, three ODI’s and four T20Is. But with the latest development there is a huge question over the series.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and Cricket South Africa (CSA) are in talks and assessing the situation. A call regarding quarantine rules for players and staff will be taken in due days as both the boards continue to remain in touch.
Meanwhile, the ongoing series between India A and South Africa A is in progress. With Covid cases increasing in the northern region of the country, CSA is working on shifting the matches to southern region. Two venues Johannesburg and Centurion fall in the northern region and are in danger of missing out on hosting the first two test matches of the series.
According to a senior BCCI official to PTI, “Look, till we get a detailed picture of the ground situation from Cricket South Africa (CSA), we will not be able to tell our next step. As per the current plan, the Indian team is supposed to leave either on December 8 or 9 just after the New Zealand series gets over in Mumbai.”
As of now, the tour is on but it is understood that the BCCI, in the next few days, will be talking to CSA on the detection of the new variant — B.1.1.529 –, which has set alarm bells ringing across the globe.
Schedule of India’s forthcoming tour to South Africa:
1st Test: Dec 17-21: Wanderers, Johannesburg
2nd Test: Dec 26-30: SuperSport Park, Centurion
3rd Test: Jan 3-7: Newlands, Cape Town
1st ODI: Jan 11: Boland Park, Paarl
2nd ODI: Jan 14: Newlands, Cape Town
3rd ODI: Jan 16: Newlands, Cape Town
1st T20I: Jan 19: Newlands, Cape Town
2nd T20I: Jan 21: Newlands, Cape Town
3rd T20I: Jan 23: Boland Park, Paarl
4th T20I: Jan 26: Boland Park, Paarl.