Jagmohan Dalmiya, president of the Board of Control for Cricket in India, has said that any player nervous about touring Pakistan next month will have the right to opt out.
Dalmiya gave this assurance in a radio interview only 24 hours after the government gave its go-ahead for the historic tour.
Reports of player unrest because of security concerns were categorically denied by Dalmiya, who nevertheless said he was willing to listen to anyone who has reservations about going.
"We are going to play a game of cricket, we are not going to fight a war," Dalmiya told the British Broadcasting Corporation in the interview. "It is not mandatory that anyone has to go.
"To perform better, to perform at the optimum level, it is important that the player is physically and mentally absolutely tuned to the optimum. Therefore, unless he himself is feeling good and free, he will not be able to perform. And therefore we do not like any player to go under pressure.
"If anyone comes forward -- but remember that not a single person has come forward, that's another speculation in the media -- but otherwise whosoever has met me, talked to me, I never read that anyone was in doubt not to go."
