Decision to tour India unanimous: Flintoff

Abu Dhabi, Dec 8 (PTI) No player has been arm-twisted to
play in the Test series and it was a completely unanimous
decision by the team to tour India, England's talismanic
all-rounder Andrew Flintoff said here Monday.

Himself one of those who initially was reluctant to tour
India following the recent Mumbai terror attacks, Flintoff
said all his teammates made their point before they
unanimously decided to go ahead with the tour.

"It's been a difficult last three days. Throughout,
everyone has voiced their opinion, whether they be junior or
senior players. Everyone has decided to go, so to say it was
just about the senior players would be wrong. We have decided
to go as a team," the former captain said.

Flintoff said the team was quite intense in the nets but
admitted the fate of the tour was back on their mind whenever
they were left to themselves.

"When we have been practising out on the field, batting
and bowling, the intensity has been fine. But when people are
on their own, and with time to think, the mood has been
different," he said.

Apart from Flintoff, pacer Steve Harmison and off-spinner
Graeme Swann had made public their reluctance to tour India on
security grounds.

Flintoff seemed to have already focussed himself for the
two-match Test series starting in Chennai on December 11 and
said doing well against an in-form India would be a challenge
for the squad.

"If you win anything in India I think you are doing
well," said Flintoff.

"Particularly with the way they played in the one-dayers,
and the way they played against Australia. We have now got two
Tests to show what we can do," Flintoff said.

England and Wales Cricket Board managing director Hugh
Morris hailed the decision and said it spoke volumes of the
team's unity.

"I said right from the word go that we wouldn't be
twisting people's arms up their backs. It says a lot for the
solidarity of the team that everybody is going to go across,"
Morris said.

"Every now and again sportsmen and women have the chance
to do something beyond their performances on the field. For
very tragic reasons, the England team have that opportunity,
they have made a very brave, a very courageous decision and
one which will be really respected right across the world,"
said the ECB official who played a key role in the entire
episode. PTI AY
PMR
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