The spectre of terrorism is again threatening an Australian cricket tour to the subcontinent. A coordinated bomb attack in the Indian capital, New Delhi, yesterday killed at least 20 people and wounded 100 others, less than a fortnight before the Australian team is due to arrive to commence a four-Test series.Niranjan Shah, secretary of the Board of Control for Cricket in India, was hopeful Cricket Australia would fulfil its touring commitments and complete the series.
"We are definitely concerned with today's explosions in Delhi," Shah told the Hindustan Times. "But I don't think it will have any impact on the coming Australia series."
Shah's optimism will presumably be tested in the coming days. CA has already postponed a Test series in Pakistan earlier this year due to security concerns, and expressed reservations about competing in the Champions Trophy, also in Pakistan.
The Delhi bombing is the fourth to rock India since May. More than 170 people have been killed in the attacks, most of which have been targetted at the civilian population. A group named the Indian Mujahadeen have claimed responsibility for the last two bombings. In both cases, nine or more bombs have been detonated concurrently.
Australia is scheduled to begin the Test series on October 9 in Bangalore; a city that was hit by eight synchronised bomb blasts on July 25 - a day before 16 bombs exploded in Ahmedabad, killing 45. The third Test of the series is due to be played at Delhi's Feroz Shah Kotla on October 29.
Shane Warne and several of his Rajasthan Royals teammates narrowly avoided disaster during the Indian Premier League, when seven bombs tore through the markets and temples of Jaipur, killing at least 63.
The Australia A team was in Hyderabad at the time of the Delhi bombing. It is unknown whether they will remain in India for a scheduled limited over series, featuring teams from New Zealand and India.
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