BCCI to discuss fate of India's tour of South Africa in annual meeting amid Omicron scare

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is highly likely to discuss the upcoming bilateral series against South Africa during its 90th Annual General Meeting (AGM) on December 4. According to news agency PTI, BCCI's 24-point agenda for its annual meeting has a point that pertains to the upcoming series against the Proteas.

This comes a day after reports emerged suggesting that the BCCI might cancel the away series against South Africa due to the emergence of the new COVID variant Omicron. 

The emergence of the new variant has raised alarm bells all over the world as Omicron is said to spread faster than the Delta variant. This has caused the BCCI to take note of the development in South Africa, where the new variant first emerged, and discuss whether to send the team to the country at a time when other sporting events are being called off keeping in mind the safety of people involved. 

BCCI's position on South Africa series

Earlier on Thursday, BCCI President Sourav Ganguly said that the series against South Africa will go on as scheduled. However, a couple of hours later, an unnamed BCCI official informed that the board is in touch with Cricket South Africa and a decision might be reached on pushing the series by a week keeping in mind the safety of players. Earlier, Union Sports Minister Anurag Thakur had said that the BCCI should consult with the government before sending a team to South Africa. 

Cricket South Africa, on the other hand, has already cancelled all domestic games in the country due to the emergence of the new variant. India's second-string side, including players such as Prithvi Shaw and Rahul Chahar, is already in South Africa, playing three unofficial Test matches. The senior men's team is slated to leave for South Africa on December 8 or December 9 after the completion of the ongoing series against New Zealand.

The new COVID-19 variant, which the WHO has named B.1.1.529, has put sports events in South Africa under serious concern as two rounds of the United Rugby Championship were previously postponed after teams from Wales, Italy and Ireland made their way back home. At the same time, the Netherlands has played a rain-affected ODI against South Africa, but the rest of the tour remains in doubt as yet.

Image: PTI