'Indians should never forget ENG's gesture after 2008 Mumbai attacks'
Former India cricketer Sunil Gavaskar, while lauding BCCI's decision, said that the Indians should not forget England's gesture after the 2008 Mumbai attacks.
Sunil Gavaskar welcomed BCCI's decision to offer ECB rescheduling of the cancelled fifth Test between India and England. The legendary cricketer cited the example of England's tour to India back in 2008 when the Kevin Pietersen-led side had to fly back home midway due to the terror attacks in Mumbai but they came next month to play the two-match Test series.
The fifth India-England match, which was slated to begin in Manchester on Friday, was postponed indefinitely due to the Covid-19 scare in the Indian camp. India's assistant physio Yogesh Parmar tested positive on the eve of the Test match sending fears among the Indian players.
"We as Indians should never forget that the England team came back after the horrific attacks of 2008. They would have been perfectly entitled to say 'we are not comfortable to come back'.
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"So, we should never forget that Kevin Pietersen led the team and he was the main man. If KP had said 'no I don't want to go' that would have been the end of the tour. It was because KP convinced the others that the team came and we had that fantastic Test match in Chennai where India chased down 380 on Day 5 to win," Gavaskar said on Sony Sports Network.
England left India on November 28 - two days after Mumbai came under attack. The last two ODIs of the seven-match series in Guwahati (on November 29) and Delhi (On December 2) were cancelled.
The England side, however, came back for the two-match Test series. The second Test was shifted to Chennai from Mumbai.
"That gesture of the ECB must be remembered," Gavaskar said.
Gavaskar said it was a fantastic gesture by the BCCI to offer a reschedule of this Test which can be played during their limited-overs tour next year.
