England hailed as they decide show must go on

In the end, though, there were no dramas or withdrawals in the Middle East last night with Kevin Pietersen and the bulk of his squad heading for India - with only Ryan Sidebottom heading in the opposite direction because of injury.

But, as this morning's story in the Indian Express indicates, doubts remained right up until England managing director Hugh Morris announced there had been a unanimous decision to travel together and play two Tests which, a week or so ago, seemed certain to be cancelled in the wake of the terrorist attack on Mumbai.

Morris has played a blinder over the last few days - taking Pietersen and Co back home when emotions were raw, then persuading them to transfer to Abu Dhabi while he carried out safety checks in partnership with Professional Cricketers' Association chief executive Sean Morris and security advisor Reg Dickason.

Flintoff and Harmison were said to be the two men most likely to pull out but every member of the party will have had concerns at one time or another.

England's players are unlikely to be disappointed by the level of security when they do arrive here.

Their hotel - which they will share with India's cricketers - was teeming with police and military personnel this morning.

They can expect to be whisked through the airport and taken along closed-off roads to their city base where, it is said, they will have a floor to themselves.

And a unit of commandos is likely to be with them every step of the way - from tonight until they leave India on Christmas Eve.

Some may still debate whether it is too soon to start playing cricket again in a country still badly shaken by the horrific events of less than fortnight ago while others will question the point of trying to entertain in a military camp atmosphere.

But, crucially, India seems to want this short series to go ahead, the wider world of cricket is in favour and England's players are willing to return.

Hugh Morris said: "It has been a very difficult situation, a very emotional, sensitive time for everybody and it has been hard for the players to come to this decision, but they all have and we are looking forward to the challenge of playing India."

In the end, only Sidebottom is not travelling back to the subcontinent but his absence is down to an upper body injury.

Instead, Amjad Khan - Kent's 28-year-old, Denmark-born paceman - has been added to Pietersen's Test squad, as he was to the one-day unit just before the decision was taken to fly England home from India.

Khan has never played at international level and, having been identified as a potential recruit in 2006, his career could have stalled when he missed the entire 2007 season because of a serious knee injury. Now, though, with Stuart Broad (hamstring) already ruled out of Thursday's First Test and Jimmy Anderson having performed poorly during the one-day series, Sidebottom's replacement may be coming to do more than make up numbers.

Yorkshire leg-spinner Adil Rashid will also arrive here tonight but, for the moment at least, England insist his presence is all about gaining experience.

While this week's First Test has been given the green light, some doubts remain over whether the second match will be in Mohali or switched to somewhere like Delhi or Bangalore. That decision is expected within the next 72 hours once the ECB's security team has switched its attentions from here.

For the moment, though, all eyes are on Chennai with International Cricket Council President David Morgan urging Indians to support this game - and then the one next week.

"The players have accepted their role in trying to put a smile back on the face of a country that has undergone a horrendous experience," said Morgan.

"I would urge as many supporters as possible to join us during the series, not only because they will see two excellent sides playing Test cricket, the pinnacle of our sport, but also because by doing so we will demonstrate that we will not be dictated to by terrorists."