The Indian Test cricket team, led by Virat Kohli, departed for South Africa early on Thursday morning to take part in a three-match series starting with a Boxing Day Test from December 26 in Centurion. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) shared pictures of team members Jasprit Bumrah, Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane, Shardul Thakur, Mohammed Siraj, and Shardul Thakur from the flight before leaving for Johannesburg. "All buckled up, South Africa bound," wrote the BCCI on Twitter. On the tour to South Africa, which was largely in doubt due to the Omicron variant of Covid-19 surging in the Rainbow nation, India will play three Tests and three ODIs as part of the revised schedule. India is also without left-arm spin all-rounders Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, and opener Shubman Gill due to injuries.

Source: The North Africa Journal December 16, 2021 12:02 UTC