Former England players believe team must go back to India

London: While their players are reluctant to return for the Test series in the aftermath of Mumbai attacks, English media and former cricketers strongly believe that they should play in India and not allow the terrorists to succeed in spreading fear.

In a show of unprecedented solidarity with India, the England media and former players said that the tour should go ahead as a mark of respect to the dead and wounded in the Mumbai terror strikes.

"Terrorism is something that we as a world need to stand up against and fight. It is sadly something we've got to live with and we have done so in places like England and India for many years," Ian Botham said in his column in the Mirror.

"As far as England's cricket tour goes, they have to take advice from the people around them but I think it would be a crying shame if they are forced to call things off at the hands of terrorists," he added.

Former captain Mike Atherton, too, said that given the assurances of safety, England players should play the two Tests starting Dec 11.

"We don't succumb to it in England and I do believe that if the team have the assurances of safety and security then why shouldn't they play?" he said.

Eminent columnist and former England cricketer Mike Selvey said that rather than flying back home, England cricketers should go and spend some time in Dubai or Singapore and then travel back to India for the Test series, the Guardian reports.

"Five days in Colombo would surely have sufficed, or Dubai or Singapore. Once the players are home, it will take massive willpower to drag them on to a plane to India once more. If the series does take place, it demonstrates solidarity with the Indian people, who, if they see it this way, one hopes would respond by turning up to the games," Selvey said.