India’s Tour To South Africa To Be Delayed Amid Omicron Scare

India’s cricket tour of South Africa is likely to be paused at least by a week. It is learned that the BCCI has been consulting with Cricket South Africa over a delay following the observation of the Omicron variant of the coronavirus in many countries, as well as southern Africa.

The India A team is presently on a tour of South Africa and even though the BCCI is not yet removing the connection on that tour, the cricket board is severely contemplating holding the senior team’s tour. The Indian team was listed to travel to South Africa on December 9 via a charter plane, but according to reports, that has stayed put on hold.

India is scheduled to tour South Africa next month for three Tests, three ODIs and four T20Is. The tour was ready to begin on December 17. Earlier, the Union Minister for Youth Affairs and Sports Anurag Thakur had stated that BCCI should discuss with the government before granting the cricket team to South Africa where a new COVID-19 variant has risen.

A BCCI official on Thursday proved it to an agency that both the cricket committees are in regular touch and the settlement will be conducted following the safety of players in mind.

“We are discussing to push back the series by a week due to the threat of Omicron COVID variant and we are awaiting the Indian government nod, both boards are in constant touch and everything is being discussed. The health and safety of our players is of utmost importance,” the senior official told an agency.

“Not only BCCI, but every board should also consult the Indian government before sending the team to a country where a new COVID-19 variant has emerged. It is not right to send the team to a country where there is a threat, if BCCI consults us we will deliberate on that,” Thakur had told an agency.