South African opening batsman Herschelle Gibbs, who is under pressure to be interrogated by Delhi Police regarding the match-fixing scandal, will not join the national team on the tour of India next month.
"Even if Herschelle is given the all clear by the Indian police, the pressure would be too much for him to travel to India," said the cricketer's father, Gibbs senior, at Cape Town yesterday, a day after his son withdrew from his provincial Western Province team match.
Gibbs senior said he did not want his son to be harassed in India.
Gibbs and Nicky Boje had recently submitted written statements about the match-fixing scandal in 2000 to the Indian Police in Delhi through the Indian High Commission in Durban.
But their clearance that they would not be arrested or interrogated by the Delhi Police had not yet been received.
United Cricket Board spokesperson Moabi Litheko said they had not yet received any correspondence from Gibbs and therefore would not be able to comment.
Litheko said the team for the two-match Test series in India would be selected next week.