Martyn leaves for India to play IPL

Melbourne:

Retired Australian batsman Damien Martyn on Tuesday left for India to compete in the Indian Premier League, rejecting the security fears that have been raised by some of his own former teammates.

Martyn said the decision to play or skip the cash-awash tourney should be left completely on players and they should not be coerced into going one way or the other.

"They should leave us to make our own decisions," Martyn was quoted as saying by 'The Herald Sun'.

"It's up to the individual whether they play in the IPL," he added.

Returning to the game after two years, Martyn will play for Rajasthan Royals. His former teammates like Shane Warne, Matthew Hayden and Adam Gilchrist would soon fly to India.

Martyn said he would never have decided to go, had there been any doubt about security in his mind.

"I have a child and a family to consider. Do you think I'd be going or for that matter, Warne, Gilchrist, and Hayden, if we thought it was high risk?" he asked.

"The reports we've received suggest nothing has changed. I have the utmost faith in officials to ensure our safety and welfare is top priority. There are no guarantees. Bombs can go off anywhere and we've been on Ashes tours when bombs have exploded," he added.

The middle-order batsman, however, said he would not be venturing out too much during his stay in India.

"I will stick around the hotel and I won't be heading to the markets like I may have done on past trips," he said.

"My biggest concern as I packed my bags was leaving my child who I'll miss terribly. I haven't been on the road for a couple of years, so this will be a little strange," he added.