Friday 5th December 2008
Kirsten urges England to return
Gary Kirsten feels England should heed to the security assurances and return for the Test series against M S Dhoni and his men.
Kirsten, who will come back to India this weekend after flying off to Cape Town following the abandonment of the last two one-dayers due to the Mumbai mayhem, said an element of risk would always be there no matter where England plays.
"From a security point of view the England players have received assurances, the question on everyone's mind is: how safe is safe?" Kirsten said.
"There is no way that security can be guaranteed wherever you are in the world. But you can't keep saying no. There are terrorism threats everywhere, even the UK is not immune from them," he was quoted as saying by 'The Daily Telegraph'.
Despite that, Kirsten said, England should have no apprehension in coming to India if the security experts give an all-clear to the arrangements.
"...If the professional security people who are paid to make these assessments have given the go-ahead then I think you have to go with it.
"They have given the best advice, it is now a case of whether as an individual you feel comfortable with it. I feel for the England players, they have got a difficult decision to make and they are going be put under pressure to make a personal decision," he added.
The South African, however, admitted that a few individuals would always have their fears and he expected a couple of pull-outs. "It will be a tough call for individuals to make. Some players will be concerned that if they don't go then someone else will go instead and so their place will be under threat," he said.
Kirsten said he was looking forward to continuing his successful stint with the Indian team in the two-Test series against England which was re-scheduled to Chennai and Mohali after the visitors refused to play in Ahmedabad and terror-hit Mumbai.
"I have had a lot of things to weigh up and it's obviously a concern with my family in South Africa. But I am very much part of the India set-up, I enjoy working there and I want to keep the momentum going from the good work we have done recently.
"Once the security people have given the go ahead to return, what more can you do?" he asked.
England will take a final call on the matter after security expert Reg Dickason submits his report to the England and Wales Cricket Board.
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