New Delhi | Jagran Sports Desk: India and South Africa are unlikely to shake hands with each during SA tour of India, which kicks off on Thursday. The players will instead exchange fist bumps as a precautionary measure against novel Coronavirus (COVID-19), said a report from ESPNCricinfo.com
Last week, the visitors were allowed to come to India after the Cricket South Africa conducted an expert assessment of the risk of traveling amid Coronavirus outbreak and deemed it safe. They traveled via Dubai to Delhi and will play the ODI matches at Dharamsala, Lucknow, and Kolkata.
Dr. Shuaib Manjra, Chief Medical Officer, CSA, will be traveling with the team.
Other than handshakes no other specific instructions have been given to players. They will continue to interact and take pictures with fans, the report added.
While South Africa reported one confirmed case last Thursday, the infected cases of COVID-19 have surged past 50 in India.
Earlier England players did not shake hands with each other during their tour to Sri Lanka.
"We are not shaking hands with each other, using instead the well-established fist bump, and we are washing hands regularly and wiping down surfaces using the anti-bacterial wipes and gels we've been given in our immunity packs," England skipper Joe Root said as quoted by AFP.
Also Read: Explained | How washing hands with soap can help you contain spread of coronavirus
However, Australia who will also play a three-match ODI series with New Zealand, which begins this Friday, will continue to shake hands.
"We'll continue shaking hands... there's plenty of hand sanitisers in the Australian kits," cricket.com.au quoted Australia head coach Justin Langer as saying.
A total of three people have died due to coronavirus in Australia.
Meanwhile, the Everest Premier League, a T20 tournament, has been postponed following the government's direction to avoid mass gatherings to contain Coronavirus.
(with agency inputs)
Posted By: James Kuanal
