Uncertainty fuelled by rumours

Sourav Ganguly: 'We are concerned because we have families at home and it is not going to be easy' © Getty Images

India's tour of Pakistan appears increasingly likely to be postponed until after the national elections. On a day dominated rumour and speculation, the odds shifted towards a postponement as India's politicians appeared to grow more uneasy about the risk of the tour taking place in the run-up to April's elections.

The day began with Indian newspapers quoting unidentified sources in the Home Ministry who suggested that players might not be safe in Pakistan because of increased militant activity. The underlying reason, most pundits seemed to agree, was nervousness that the matches might affect voting.

The confusion inside the government was then highlighted when an official of the External Affairs Ministry told reporters that it was not for politicians to make the final decision but was "for each sporting association or Board to take." Then Swamy Chinmayanand, a junior government minister, told the BBC in London that the government was rethinking the tour. "We want relations with Pakistan to improve but cannot endanger players' lives," he said. "Our players' security is more important than cricket."

The remarks hit home, and Sourav Ganguly, who had publicly expressed concerns over the past week, reacted. "We are not worried about the Pakistan tour, but we are worried about the security in Pakistan," he told the Press Trust of India. "We are concerned because we have families at home and it is not going to be easy. We have to go back and talk to our board and then get a clearer picture."

Ganguly and his players would hardly have been calmed by comments from Raj Thackeray, leader of the Hindu radical Shiv Sena party. "Terrorism has torn Pakistan asunder," he said. "Their president is not safe. Our cricketers will have to play under unprecedented duress. They all have families and fabulous fan followings. I am given to understand that some of our cricketers face grave security threat from Pakistani/Talibani terrorists."

The Indian cricket board (BCCI), meanwhile, continued to maintain an official stance of not making any firm comment until the return of its delegation from Pakistan over the weekend.

But yet another unnamed government source told NDTV that Jagmohan Dalmiya, the BCCI's president, was already moving behind the scenes with possible alternative plans to try and salvage the tour. One deal would be to hold the Tests in March - with all three Tests completed before the end of the month - and the delaying the ODIs until after the election. The other option would be for a shortened trip, but financially this would seem to be a virtual non-starter.

The only certainty at the moment is that this affair has a long way to go - and that even more unnamed government sources are likely to be quoted in the coming days.