Most of the players wanted to abort, but were at the behest of a cricket board that negotiated an amended itinerary that was played against a country in mourning.
The next visit was due for 1988-89, but was cancelled because of the connections of a number of English players, notably newly named captain Graham Gooch, to racist South African cricket.
The Indian government took a firm stand against racism in sport and were thanked by their South African counterparts by being the first country they visited on their reintroduction to the international arena.
War and politics provided interruptions to relations between India and England; terrorism threatens something far more sinister.
Already Lalit Modi, the Indian Board vice-president and head of the IPL, has professed his fears of India going the way of Pakistan, who play very little home international cricket, if attacks continue.
This has much wider repercussions than just India. Cricket Australia, for example, has lost millions of dollars from the postponement of the Champions League.
The Pakistan Board has now said that the situation regarding India’s visit to their country in January 2009 has changed considerably, following the attacks in Mumbai.
The Indians in return are under pressure from their government to cancel their tour to Pakistan, as they look to the neighbours for someone to blame for the atrocities.
As for England, by opting to return home, you feel that the decision not to carry on with the tour has already been taken. In 1984, by contrast, the side retired to Sri Lanka whilst the situation calmed down.
Where does all this put India’s dominance of world cricket? It may generate nine-tenths of the sport’s income, but if the likes of Australia, England, and South Africa refuse to play there, their plan for the direction of the sport, notably the commercial potential of Twenty20, could be jeopardised.
Maybe more than just the spirit of a city died last week.
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