cket Australia has reacted to serial blasts in New Delhi with part trepidation, part apprehension and part anxiety.
MUMBAI; Cricket Australia has reacted to serial blasts in New Delhi with part trepidation, part apprehension and part anxiety.
Even as it ruled out looking at the security situation in India with same seriousness as the one in Pakistan, the CA has asked its security expert to submit a report on the ‘risk’ element in India.
For the time being, its spokesman emphasised, there is no change in the itinerary of Ricky Ponting & Co.
“We’ve no reason to delay the team’s departure. I understand they will leave for India as scheduled on September 21. But before that we will exercise our routine caution — that is to study our expert Reg Dickason’s report, consult our embassy in New Delhi and get clearance from the foreign affairs ministry of the Australian government,” Peter Young, the CA Public Affairs Manager, told DNA over the phone from Melbourne.
Dickason is expected to submit the report in a couple of days.
“We’re saddened by the blasts in New Delhi. We are surely concerned by the Saturday night events that led to many loss of lives. We will take advises before travelling to the city,” he said, hastening to add: “The team is to play a Test there only from October 29. So that is a long time.” Australia, scheduled to arrive in India on September 22, will play their third Test at the Kotla from October 29 to November 2.
The Indian Board has not received any communication from its counterpart since the blasts.
“I’ve not received any communication. I can understand their concern but I’m confident the tour will go ahead as per the original schedule,” Board of Control for Cricket in India secretary Niranjan Shah said on Sunday.
Young also observed that the CA did not think the situation in Pakistan, which led to postponement of the Champions Trophy, and India is similar.
“They are two different things. There was advice that the threat perception in Pakistan was bad.
“No such report has come to us regarding India,” Young said. According to him, the Australian government’s advisory to citizens is not alarming, yet.
Immediately after the blasts, the CA contacted its A team currently touring India. “We’ve advised them to exercise caution. The A tour will go on,” he asserted.
The Australian Cricketers Association, a powerful players’ body which has a reputation of throwing a spanner in many of CA’s decisions, has not sounded any alarm yet. Its president Darren Lehman said that the ACA saw no reason at ‘this juncture’ to express
any concerns. “I think the tour will go ahead,” he said.
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