Before team India visits South Africa, the hosting cricket board has announced a revised itinerary. Both teams will play three Tests and three ODIs, with the four T20Is taking place later. The three ODIs will take place on 19, 21, and 23 January respectively.
Cricket South Africa (CSA) confirms the schedule of the tour. India and South Africa will be playing the first two ODIs at Paarl’s Boland Park. Followed by the third and final one at Cape Town’s Newlands. The ODIs will not be part of the ICC Men’s World Cup Super League, which guarantees direct qualification to the top seven teams plus hosts India for the 2023 ODI World Cup. The upcoming series, on the other hand, will be a stand-alone bilateral event. The tour’s start date has been pushed back due to the presence of the Omicron variant of COVID-19 in South Africa.
India A team is in Bloemfontein for three unofficial Tests
According to the original schedule, India was supposed to arrive in South Africa on December 9. For the Test series beginning on December 17. However, the first Test at Centurion will start on December 26. Followed by the second in Johannesburg from January 3-7. And the third and final one is in Cape Town from January 11-15. BCCI and CSA have agreed to reschedule the T20s at a later date, reducing the tour to Tests and ODIs.
The discovery of the new COVID-19 variant has already forced multiple postponements/cancellations in the sporting calendars. The India tour has been shrouded in uncertainty. At the moment, the India A team is in Bloemfontein for three unofficial Tests. Two of which have already concluded, with the third currently underway. The senior team will depart at least a week and a half prior to starting the first Test. BCCI will announce the squad for the tour soon. And certain issues will be in discussion at the meeting.