Caddick: England should still tour.

FORMER England bowler Andrew Caddick, who pulled out of a tour to India in 2001 amid security concerns, insists he would be willing travel to the sub-continent following last week's terrorist attacks in Mumbai.

England players and management flew home from India at the weekend after the remaining matches of their one-day series were scrapped in the wake of the tragedy.

In 2001, Caddick and spinner Robert Croft opted out of an Indian tour following the September 11 attacks in the United States.

However, if the security report is favourable, the Somerset seamer claims he would be happy to go in the current circumstances.

"The big difference between now and then is that the ECB do have a very good security team, they've got a very good leader (Reg Dickason) who looks after the players' security, and they'll be leaning on him a lot and asking his advice as to whether the tour will be safe," said Caddick.

"But I'm sure it will be compared to 9/11, it will be a lot safer than it was back then.

"In 2001, there were nine players on that tour who didn't want to go, and a few of them were forced to go due to different circumstances, and there were a few management who didn't want to go as well.

"Even I was pressurised into going, but thankfully myself and Mr Croft were advised that it wasn't going to be held against us.

"I'm hoping that with the relationship between the players and the ECB, the ECB won't hold it against the players if they feel that their security and wellbeing is (more important) than the game of cricket.

"You've got to feel sorry for these guys, but it's a different scenario. In 2001 it ended up with a war in Afghanistan and it's still ongoing now."

Asked whether he would be willing to go on tour to India at present if the safety report raised no severe concerns, Caddick said: "I probably would because it's a totally different instance to 9/11. You cannot allow these things to stop games of cricket."