2008/09 Australian cricket team tour to India

The Australian cricket team is scheduled to tour India and play a series of test matches, one-day internationals and 20-20 matches. However, it is now highly doubtful if the Australian cricket team would tour India after the recent terror attacks in Delhi and the recent press briefing given by India's National Security Advisor M. K. Narayan have raised issues of security concern in the minds of Australia's cricketers.

Tour schedule

The squad

Cricket Australia announced the Australian squad for the tour on September 11, 2008.cite news|url=http://cricket.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Symonds_dropped_from_Australian_squad/articleshow/3474238.cms|title=Australia announces squad for India tour; Symonds dropped|date=September 12, 2008|publisher=Times of India|language=English|accessdate=2008-09-20] All-rounder Andrew Symonds has been omitted from the squad as a part of the disciplinary action following his neglect of a team meeting to go fishing instead.

Indian batsman Sachin Tendulkar and skipper M. S. Dhoni have been selected in the Indian squad despite doubts over their inclusion following injury.cite news|url=http://in.news.yahoo.com/137/20080918/375/tsp-racism-row-will-not-mar-australia-to.html|title=Racism row will not mar Australia tour, says Tendulkar|last=|first=|date=September 18, 2008|work=Yahoo News|accessdate=2008-09-20] Indian batsman Sachin Tendulkar, who is a part of the Indian squad, expressed hope that unlike controversies and accusations of racism which had marred earlier encounters between the two teams, the tour shall be accompanied by goodwill and that racism will not be a big issue.

Doubtful possibility

On September 13,2008, serial bomb blasts took place in India's capital city Delhi in which 30 people died and over 100 people were injured.cite news|url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Serial_blasts_rock_Delhi_18_dead/articleshow/3479914.cms|title=Serial blasts rock Delhi; 30 dead, 90 injured|date=14 September 2008|publisher=Times of India|language=English|accessdate=2008-09-13] The very next day after the blasts, Cricket Australia (CA) issued a statement saying that it will review the security situation in the wake of the blasts and will make its decision the next week after performing a risk assessment.cite news|url=http://www.ptinews.com/pti%5Cptisite.nsf/0/9966008CDDCB4F12652574C4001ADE8C?OpenDocument|title=CA to review security situation in India following blasts |last=|first=|work=PTI|accessdate=2008-09-17] The Board of Control for Cricket in India, however, asserted that the blast would have no bearing on the cricket tour which would go ahead as scheduled.cite news|url=http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/PoliticsNation/No_threat_to_Australia_tour_BCCI/articleshow/3481919.cms|title=No threat to Australia tour: BCCI |last=|first=|date=September 14, 2008|work=Economic Times|accessdate=2008-09-17] However, a conflicting report made on September 15 claimed that Cricket Australia had briefed that the tour was on track.cite news|url=http://www.tehrantimes.com/index_View.asp?code=178028|title=Australia condemns Delhi bombings, cricket tour on track|last=|first=|date=September 15, 2008|work=Tehran Times|accessdate=2008-09-17] Following these reports, the Pakistan Cricket Board lashed at the Australian cricket establishment for agreeing to tour India while postponing their tour to Pakistan in early 2008 and accused the board of adopting double standards.cite news|url=http://cricket.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/PCB_blasts_CA_for_double_standard/articleshow/3486547.cms|title=PCB blasts Cricket Australia for double standard|last=|first=|date=September 15, 2008|work=The Times of India|accessdate=2008-09-17] One PCB official even called the Australians "lilly-livered cowards"cite news|url=http://www.ptinews.com/pti%5Cptisite.nsf/0/5761DC652BCF6367652574C7001F5036?OpenDocument
title=PCB calls Australians 'lily-livered cowards': Report |last=|first=|date=September 17, 2008|work=The Times of India|accessdate=2008-09-17] But Ricky Ponting issued a statement vindicating Cricket Australia's stand by saying that the circumstances accompanying the cancellation of Australia's tour of Pakistan were entirely different.cite news|url=http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,24362352-5001505,00.html
title=India not Pakistan, Ricky Ponting says of tour |last=Todd|first=Mark|date=September 18, 2008|work=The Australian|accessdate=2008-09-20] However, on September 17, 2008, Australia skipper Ricky Ponting said that the tour was not yet confirmedcite news|url=http://www.ptinews.com/pti%5Cptisite.nsf/0/AB0410B9A6D717D1652574C70045D489?OpenDocument|title=Ponting says tour of India not confirmed|last=|first=|date=September 17, 2008|work=PTI|accessdate=2008-09-17] and that it could go either way.cite news|url=http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5hewcAMiTNjHbjsE4G5SV-JhD4FCA|title=Security could still scupper Australia tour of India: Ponting|last=|first=|date=September 17, 2008|work=AFP|accessdate=2008-09-18]

Notes