Craig White is the latest England cricketer to question publicly the wisdom of going to India in November. First Nasser Hussain voiced his concerns on behalf of his team-mates, and earlier this week Graham Thorpe told cricket4.com that he was having serious doubts himself. Now White has told BBC Sport Online that he feels the trip is "too big a risk to take". White, who is returning to the side after missing the one-day series in Zimbabwe through injury, said that a squad of 16 England players would be "too big a target", especially given India's proximity to Afghanistan.

"I don't think any of the guys will be too keen on going," he added ominously. "The situation is that if there's going to be retaliation, there's no way they cannot guarantee our safety, so why risk it?"

White disagreed that England were simply trying to get out of touring a country that they have visited just once in the last 17 years for a Test series. "We are not trying to get out of touring -- I just think it's a bit close to where it's all going off."

He stressed that the players' opinion must be taken into account. "Maybe if I was 23 without a family ... But I have got a wife and two kids and they don't want me to go."

White suggested a possible alternative could be a one-day tournament at a neutral venue in a different part of the world.

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