Cricket South Africa has issued a statement guaranteeing care, hospitalization, and home return for Team India.
These steps have ensured that the series goes in a smooth way.
Team India traveled to Johannesburg from Mumbai on a chartered flight.
They are now staying at the African Pride Irene Country Lodge assigned to them by CSA.
Locals have been warned in advance to stay away from the touring team.
The Indian team will be provided with a chartered plane for the 3rd Test.
Spectators have been banned from attending the series so that the spread of Omicron can be stemmed.
South Africa’s home series against the Netherlands has already been suspended last month.
This means that the Board is very careful not to have any hiccups against the series with India.
Team India’s players and support staff have been assured hospital beds, in case they need them, told the CSA.
Hospitals guarantee hospital beds for Indian players
CSA’s chief medical officer, Dr. Shuaib Manjra, had already offered to provide the touring Indian team booster doses.
Now he has also elaborated on the medical arrangements for the visitors.
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 Manjra as told in the report.
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.
Roadblock for the Indian Team regarding the new variant
The only roadblock in this arrangement, according to Manjra is how the Indian government will respond to the situation of a player returning early.
The CSA has got the green signal from their government on the no-obligation of Indian players returning to India in between the series.
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.
He further added,
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.
India already completed their one-day quarantine after arriving in Johannesburg.
They first trained at their hotel and are now training at Centurion.
The first Test is all set to start today, that is the 26th of December in SuperSport Park, Centurion.
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