India tour of SA: New schedule announced, 1st Test at Centurion from Dec 26

Cricket South Africa (CSA) on Monday announced an updated schedule of India's curtailed tour of the country with Centurion hosting the first of the three Tests from December 26.

The CSA and the BCCI on Saturday announced that the tour will go ahead but the Indian team's departure will be postponed by a week and T20Is will no longer be a part of the schedule in view of rising number of COVID-19 cases due to emergence of Omicron variant in South Africa.

The Indians were originally set to leave on December 9 but the travel plans have changed, which means that the Tests will now start on December 26 instead of the previously finalised December 17.

"It is a pleasure for CSA to confirm the updated schedule for the India men's tour to South Africa," the CSA said in a statement.

"As announced over the weekend, the tour has been reduced from three series to two; the Betway Test and One-Day International series, taking place from 26 December to 23 January 2022 across four venues, following successful engagement with the BCCI.

"The four-match KFC T20I series will be rescheduled for a more opportune time in the new year."

The second Test will be played at the Wanderers here from January 03-07 while the third match will be held at Newlands, Cape Town from January 11-15.

The three ODIs will be played at Boland Park, Paarl (January 19 and 21) and Cape Town (January 23).

The Test series will form part of the new cycle of the ICC World Test Championship, while the ODI series will form part of the ICC World Cup Super League, the qualification tournament for the 2023 World Cup.

The Schedule:

1st Test (December 26-30):

Centurion

2nd Test (January 03-07): Johannesburg

3rd Test (January 11-15): Cape Town

1st ODI (January 19): Paarl

2nd ODI (January 21): Paarl

3rd ODI (January 23): Cape Town.