Pietersen - England in shock

Suggestions England will not return to India increase

By Phil Jackson   Last updated: 29th November 2008   Subscribe to RSS Feed

Pietersen - England in shock

KP: Back in England

Every time I see the TV footage of the carnage in the Indian city, I realise how close we were to death.

Kevin Pietersen
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Kevin Pietersen says he still feels traumatised by the terrorist attacks in Mumbai, increasing speculation England will not return to India.

England's one-day series has been cut short as a result of the atrocities, which left 195 people dead and discussions are still ongoing as to whether the Test series can still be played.

British citizens were among those deliberately targeted in the attacks and the England captain admits he is still struggling to come to terms with what might have been.

"I'm still shaking from the terrorist atrocities in Mumbai," he told the News of the World. "Every time I see the TV footage of the carnage in the Indian city, I realise how close we were to death.

"I haven't slept thinking about the three-day rampage and siege. We were 800 miles from the attack, but suddenly we felt very vulnerable, especially as we had stayed at the targeted Taj Mahal Hotel just two weeks ago.

"It makes my blood run cold."

Commitment

Pietersen's team returned to England on Saturday, but they have committed to going back should security experts confirm it is safe to do so.

The second Test has already been moved from Mumbai to Chennai in a bid to calm fears, but the England Cricket Board's managing director Hugh Morris insists no player will be compelled to go back.

"We would not force anybody to do anything," he added. "I would not, if somebody felt strongly, force their arm. They would have the necessary information to make an informed decision but that would be a personal choice.

"We have come back to assess the safety and security situation in India. We have a team of people that we rely on for our safety and security information.

"They are pulling that information together over the next 24 to 48 hours and clearly we will assess that information when we have it.

"The first Test match starts on 11th December and clearly it is a very short time scale but assuming the safety and security is okay, we would be returning in a short time.

"There's a degree of nervousness, there's no doubt about that. That's only natural. It's affected everybody, but we are committed to going back and playing in the Test series when it is safe to do so."