The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has reportedly put the team selection on hold for the upcoming tour of South Africa amid the growing concerns over the heavily mutated Omicron COVID-19 variant.
The BCCI was supposed to hold the selection meeting after India’s opening Test against New Zealand in Kanpur. The players, who aren’t part of the Test series, were initially asked to undergo five-day quarantine before joining the bio-secure bubble on December 8.
According to a TOI report, however, the likes of Rohit Sharma, Jasprit Bumrah, KL Rahul, Rishabh Pant, Mohammad Shami, and Shardul Thakur are yet to get a clear message from the Indian board.
Meanwhile, the BCCI is awaiting a call from the central government regarding the upcoming South Africa tour.
“Cricket South Africa and their government are doing everything to ensure the tour goes on. But BCCI is awaiting nod from the central government. Things will be clear in a couple of days. The players too need to be assured of the arrangements.
“The board doesn’t want a repeat of what happened in Manchester when an outbreak within the camp got the players travelling with their families jittery,” a BCCI official was quoted as saying by TOI.
Another report in TOI claimed that the tour might be rescheduled or the three-Test series can be trimmed down to two, allowing the Indian team some more time before they can fly out.
Apparently, the Indian players are not convinced about the tour, where they are slated to play three Tests, three ODIs and four T20Is as of now. The BCCI is likely to take a call in the next 48 hours.
Team members had reportedly raised some questions after the emergence of the fresh COVID variant. However, the BCCI and Cricket South Africa maintained that the series could go ahead inside a very strict bio-secure bubble.
"Until the players get a reply from the BCCI, confusion will prevail because nobody knows anything. But if you look at the statement that's been released by a ministerial department of the government of South Africa, it emphasizes on the security process and thanks BCCI for the deep relationship the two countries have shared. That's their way of saying, 'come and we'll take care'. The ball is now in BCCI's court," sources privy to developments told TOI.
(With TOI inputs)
