Australia plan to play the second Test against India in Hyderabad as scheduled next week despite deadly bomb attacks in the city on the eve of the Test series opener, reports said on Friday.
The twin blasts on Thursday killed 14 people and wounded dozens more in a busy neighbourhood in the southern Indian city, raising questions over whether Australia would play the second Test starting on March 2.
But Cricket Australia chief executive James Sutherland told Fairfax newspapers the match was still on as planned as Australia prepared for the opening match in the four-Test series in Chennai starting later Friday.
“As far as I’m concerned we are playing the second Test in Hyderabad next week. That’s where we are at,” said Sutherland, who is with the team in Chennai.
Sutherland told Fairfax he was happy to continue to Hyderabad where the team is scheduled to arrive on Wednesday.
“We’ve got great confidence in the BCCI (Board of Control for Cricket in India) and the relevant authorities here to be able to prepare as best as possible for whatever issues may change from day to day,” he said.
“We’re very comfortable with everything that has been done so far on this tour.”
“We’ll obviously take advice from relevant authorities and work with the BCCI and others here to make assessments around Hyderabad but at the same time plans have been in place for a long time,” Sutherland said.
“At this stage I wouldn’t be calling into question things going ahead in Hyderabad.”
He added that team manager Gavin Dovey had sent players text messages overnight updating them on the blasts and that security had been stepped up.
Dozens of extra police reportedly surrounded the Chennai hotel where the Australian and Indian teams are staying.
Captain Michael Clarke said his players were focused on the Chennai game.
“From the team’s point of view, our focus is wholly and solely on the field because we’ve got people off the field who are experts in what is going on. We’ll be advised by them,” he said.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with all the people of Hyderabad who have been affected.”
Earlier, media reports raised doubts over the tour.
“Australia’s cricket tour of India has been plunged into uncertainty,” said the Herald-Sun newspaper, while the Sydney Morning Herald carried a headline “Hyderabad Test in doubt as bombings rock city”. Australia pulled out of a tour to Pakistan in 2008 over security concerns after a series of bombings in the troubled country. They also refused to play any matches in the 1996 World Cup in Sri Lanka after bombings there.
