Kevin Pietersen

London: Most of his teammates may have developed cold feet but England captain Kevin Pietersen said he would return to India for the Test series, provided security adviser Reg Dickason okays the tour.

Back to the comfort of his family, Pietersen said he could not sleep since the terror struck in Mumbai but asserted terrorism should not be allowed to play spoilsport.

“We can’t allow these cowards to run our game,” Pietersen wrote in Sunday’s News of the World. “It puts it all into perspective when you see blood on the streets. But if Reg gives us the ok, then I’ll be back for the two Test matches and complete the tour.

“He has been around the block and I trust his judgement 100 per cent. If he says it is safe to go back to India for the first Test in 11 days, then you can count me in,” added the England captain.

[According to a report in the Sunday Telegraph, England will return to India to play their two-match Test series as scheduled, but without several senior players including allrounder Andrew Flintoff.

The former England captain and fast bowler Steve Harmison and perhaps another bowler in the squad of 15, are expected to pull out in the next two days, citing their children and wives as their prime consideration, the report claimed.]

Pietersen, however, made it clear that he would not force any teammate to join the touring party. “It is a brutal situation and a world tragedy. So if any of the lads decide they don’t want to return, then that’s fine with me. They have got wives and kids to think about,” he said.

Horrified by what he saw on television, Pietersen said it was a close shave for the English cricketers. “We were on the team bus coming back from Cuttack when we heard the news of the horrific slaughter of innocent people in Mumbai,” he said.

“We were due to go back there for the second Test. All our whites and blazers for the Test matches are still in there somewhere...I will never forget it. I was walking down those steps only days ago to have a quick drink with a mate on his boat. Now they are the scene of a tragedy,” Pietersen remarked.

“It could have been one or all of us being carried out in a body bag. And when you see something like that, you sense danger around every corner,” he added.

“And when you hear that the terrorists are singling out English tourists, it sends a shiver down your spine. In cricket-mad India, who could be more high profile than the England team? And who could be more high profile than their captain? It makes my blood run cold,” Pietersen said.

The South Africa-born cricketer said, as England captain, he was ready to face any opposition but certainly not terrorists. “You don’t expect to have to deal with tragedies like this when you take on the captaincy...Field placing, bowling changes, declarations and bad light you expect. Not cold-blooded murder,” he said. (PTI)