The majority of England cricketers will be happy to move on from their holding camp in Abu Dhabi to India for the Test matches in Madras (Chennai) and Mohali, but only if the ECB is satisfied with the arrangements to protect their security.

“They are going to be guided by the advice of the ECB and the PCA before taking their final decision,” one agent told The Times on behalf of his players. “They want to play for England but won’t make any decision until they are told.”

Another agent said that his players did “not want to be pawns in a political debate between the ECB and the Board of Control for Cricket in India, but they would be quite happy to go if due diligence and checks have been made”.

Andrew Strauss, the opening batsman, said last night: “We’ve weighed up the pros and cons of going back on tour and I think we’ve all come to the conclusion, if the security arrangements are sufficient, we’ve probably got a duty to the game of cricket to get out there and play these two Test matches if at all possible.”

All of the squad will have been discussing their options with their families as well as their employer. Ten of the squad originally selected to tour India are married and Strauss, Andrew Flintoff, Stephen Harmison, Paul Collingwood and Owais Shah have children. It is possible that James Anderson, whose wife is pregnant, will decide not to travel on from Abu Dhabi. Flintoff and Harmison have also been reported to have doubts.

However, Matt Prior, whose wife is also pregnant and due to give birth in the spring, is happy to travel and attempt to win back his place as wicketkeeper from Tim Ambrose.

Alan Smith, Prior’s agent, said: “He’s quite happy to go back. He takes the view that he’s a professional cricketer and it’s his job to go back. He has discussed it with both Sussex and his family and as long as he gets the right assurances, he will return.”

If England do go back for the Test matches, they will be guaranteed a rapturous welcome from the crowds in Madras and Mohali, but it is hardly the best preparation for a Test series. “It is bad enough to be taking on the best side in the world without a warm-up match,” another agent said. “But players will feel quite vulnerable when they walk out alone, having been escorted to the boundary edge by a security guard.”

Players are not expected to suffer any financial effect, save the loss of match fees, if they decide not to tour.

The Barmy Army voiced its concerns yesterday that Mohali is only a few hours’ drive from the Pakistan border. “I don’t think any of us are worried about Chennai,” a spokesman said. “But Mohali is a little too close to Pakistan for our liking. If the Indian board have put that venue forward, I am sure they must be confident of looking after the players. But I would be very surprised if anyone has given much thought to spectators.”

England Test squad
K P Pietersen (Hampshire, captain), T R Ambrose (Warwickshire), J M Anderson (Lancashire), I R Bell (Warwickshire), *S C J Broad (Nottinghamshire), P D Collingwood (Durham), A N Cook (Essex), A Flintoff (Lancashire), S J Harmison (Durham), M S Panesar (Northamptonshire), M J Prior (Sussex), O A Shah (Middlesex), A J Strauss (Middlesex), G P Swann (Nottinghamshire).

Performance squad
R S Bopara (Essex), M A Davies (Durham), R H Joseph (Kent), A Khan (Kent), S I Mahmood (Lancashire), S R Patel (Nottinghamshire), L E Plunkett (Durham), O P Rayner (Sussex), A Richardson (Middlesex).

*Travelling directly to Madras (Chennai)

First Test: Dec 11-15 (Madras). Second Test: Dec 19-23 (Mohali).

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