England team set to return by Friday: media reports

London, Dec 1 (PTI) England cricket captain Kevin Pietersen and his teammates are set to return to India by Friday to play the two-Test series, the first of which would be shifted from Ahmedabad in the western Indian state of Gujarat to Kolkata in eastern state West Bengal, according to media reports here.

According to a report in 'The Guardian', the English
cricketers would return to India on Thursday or Friday and the
warm-up match, originally scheduled in Vadodara in Gujarat
from Friday, is likely to be shifted somewhere near Kolkata.

However, the report added, everything would depend on the
England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) being convinced about
the security arrangements in India.

"The ECB will present the players with a safety report
today and is likely to confirm on Tuesday that the tour will
resume later in the week," it said.

"...there is some concern about the team hotel in
Ahmedabad, which is in the middle of the city," the report
added.

Following the terror strikes in Mumbai, the England team
returned home abandoning the last two one-day matches against
India and some of the players have developed cold feet about
returning for the Test series.

Following the developments, ECB chairman Giles Clarke has
hastily returned from a business meeting in Colombia while CEO
David Collier cut short his holiday in the United States to
participate in a teleconference with their Indian
counterparts.

"It is understood that the ECB is also talking to the
Indian and British governments, high commissions in Indian
cities, security advisers and other risk assessment experts
in order to give the cricketers a thorough dossier on safety
issues in India," the daily said.

In case they return, the England team might miss the
services of Steve Harmison and Andrew Flintoff who are
reluctant to go back to India.

Pacer James Anderson might also stay back to be with his
pregnant wife.

Their possible pull out, however, would not count against
them, selector Geoff Miller said.

"Players need to be on their full mettle. There is no
point in anyone going out there if their mind is on physical
self-preservation. We need them performing with bat and ball.
But, depending on the character involved, it might not be
right for some," he said.

"At the moment nothing has been confirmed with any of the
players. We are committed, as it stands, to playing in those
two Test matches, subject to safety and security advice. The
support we've had in India has been incredible. Cricket is a
galvanising force in that country and that's got to be taken
into account as well," he said. PTI