IND vs NZ: Virat Kohli on upcoming SA tour; 'Rahul bhai has initiated conversation'

On Friday, the World Health Organisation (WHO) classified a new variant of COVID-19 which is said to comprise over 50 mutations and dubbed it 'Omicron'. It was first identified in South Africa and according to WHO's presser, the cases linked with this variant are on the rise in nearly all provinces of South Africa leading to a spike in cases over the last two weeks. With the discovery of the new COVID-19 variant, the Indian cricket team's upcoming tour of South Africa is also being reconsidered and now the Indian team captain Virat Kohli has said that having clarity on the situation is important and that they have spoken to all the senior members of the squad.

Kohli also added that new Team India head coach Rahul Dravid has begun speaking to the senior members of the squad and to the board so that they can get clarity on the status of India's tour of South Africa adding that the decision will be taken in the next two or three days.

Kohli, while on the pitch at the Wankhede Stadium, said: "Having clarity is important. We have spoken to all the senior members of the squad and Rahul bhai has started that conversation. We have been talking to the board to get clarity & the decision will be taken in one or two days time. Pretty soon we will have absolute clarity on what is going on."

CSA's statement on India's tour of South Africa

 Cricket South Africa (CSA) say that they are confident that Team India will participate in the upcoming series after 'positive' talks were held with BCCI. "We've been engaging with them (the BCCI) and they are very keen to come," Pholetsi Moseki, CSA's acting CEO, said as quoted by ESPNcricinfo. "Our government is very keen to support us and to reassure our Indian counterparts. Everything is on track." He further added that if the tour were to not happen then Cricket South Africa would be put in a very difficult position for the next two years as they do not have a contingency plan in place and will have to put other programmes on pause.

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