India vs South Africa: If borders closed due to Omicron COVID-19, Team India cricketers will be allowed to fly back

Team India captain Virat Kohli (left) and KL Rahul during a training session in Centurion. (Photo: BCCI)

Virat Kohli’s Team India is set to clash against South Africa in the three-Test series beginning with the Boxing Day Test in Centurion on Sunday (December 26). The series is being played under the shadow of the COVID-19 once against with the spread of the Omicron variant all over the world.

The slip cordon had to be on high alert during this training session

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The series was under threat when the latest variant was first discovered in South Africa. However, a curtailed tour that saw T20Is being cut from the original schedule and strict COVID-19 prevention measures in place, which include playing the Test series inside closed doors.

There are several guarantees given to the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) by Cricket South Africa (CSA), which include beds in hospital if Indian players need to be admitted for any reasons.

“In case an Indian player needs to be hospitalised for whatever reason, we’ve approached some of the hospital groups who’ve guaranteed us beds in hospitals," said CSA chief medical officer Shuaib Manjra was quoted as saying by news24.com.

“If there needs to be repatriation and the borders are closed, the government has given a guarantee that they will allow the players and the team to go back to India,” he added.

The CSA had announced earlier this week that tickets for the Test series will not be available on sale. Manjra said CSA has done everything to ensure the safety of the visitors and also left the ‘path open’ should they want to leave at any point.

“One thing we can’t control is how the Indian government deals with it. We’ve got DIRCO [Department of International Relations and Cooperation] talking to the Indian government but, as CSA, we don’t have control over that in terms of what the rules and regulations are when the players go back,” Manjra said.

“I think we’ve taken whatever measures we can to ensure that the Indian team is not only safe here, but should they need to leave for whatever reason, that the path is open for them to leave at any point that they wish," he added.

India will play three Tests and as many ODIs during their current tour of South Africa.