By IANS,
Abu Dhabi : The decision to return to India for the Test series was unanimous and not taken only by senior players of the squad, England all-rounder Andrew Flintoff said.
“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,” Flintoff said.
Flintoff, along with Steve Harmison, were reluctant to return to India after terror attacks in Mumbai. But the duo was persuaded after a security briefing by Hugh Morris, managing director of England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB), Sean Morris, chief executive of the Professional Cricketers’ Association (PCA), as well as security advisor Reg Dickason.
“When we have been practising out on the field, the intensity has been fine. But when people are on their own, and with time to think, the mood has been different,” said Flintoff.
Flintoff, however, felt that terror attacks in Mumbai won’t reduce the intensity of the series.
“If you win anything in India I think you are doing well,” Flintoff said. “Particularly with the way they played in the one-dayers, and the way they played against Australia. We have now got two Test matches to show what we can do.”
Hugh praised the England squad for their collective decision.
“I said right from the word go that we would not 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,” he said.