Players and boards aren't the only ones affected by security concerns over playing in India following the attacks in Mumbai; sponsors are “perplexed” by the prospect of dealing with the fallout . Chris Lightfoot, managing director of Whitestone International, the brand expert that acts as consultant for the ECB, said the biggest damage had been to “brand India”.

“Some of these companies will have had deals in place with long lead times, which makes it difficult to pull out,” Lightfoot told the Times. “But it will now be very tricky to activate some of their sponsorships. They are perplexed because of the inevitable loss of exposure. Some might decide they have to claim from their insurers for their losses.”