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 Colombo, August 16: Indian captain Rahul Dravid today said he shared South Africa's concerns over the security situation in Sri Lanka and that his team decided to stay back based on the guarantees of safety given to them by the Sri Lankan government.
The South Africans decided to pull out of the Unitech tri-nation cricket series, which was to begin on August 14, in the wake of a fatal bomb blast here on Monday, but India have opted to stay put to play a three-match ODI series against the hosts.
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Proteas' decision came after an independent security team of the ICC reported that "the current risk to the team" was at an "unacceptable level".
Dravid did not see any contradiction in India preferring to stay on while the African team headed back home.
"South Africa has gone by the recommendations of their people. We have spoken to the officials in the Sri Lankan board, the Sri Lankan government and the Indian High Commission," Dravid said at a media conference here.
"We have full confidence and faith in what they have to say and made our decision based on that." Asked if terrorism was a constant threat to visiting teams and would affect cricket in the subcontinent in the long run, Dravid said, "I don't know. It is sad, and it was unfortunate that the (triangular) series had to be called off. We don't live in a perfect world." (Agencies)
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