Stuart Broad stranded in England, unable to join squad
Snow in London has grounded several flights at the Heathrow. Ashley Giles, the England limited-overs coach, said Broad's forced unavailability was "not ideal" for the team.
Stuart Broad will not be joining England's One-Day International squad for the final two matches against India in Mohali (January 23) and Dharamsala (January 27). Broad was recovering from a heel injury and was scheduled to join the squad before the final two ODIs, but is now stranded in England after numerous flight cancellations due to the snowy weather.
Ashley Giles, the England limited-overs coach, said Broad's forced unavailability was "not ideal" for the team. Broad will now join the team in New Zealand, where England will play three games in each format in February-March 2013.
"Stuart is not coming to India now," said Giles. "He got snowed in at Heathrow and I think his bags went missing as well, so he is going to join us out in New Zealand.
"It's not ideal because we were hoping for him to come out here and, whether or not he played in one of the last two games, just do some prep for New Zealand. But we have a bit of time in New Zealand and he'll meet us there. It can't be helped; you can't do much about snow."
England did have some good news ahead of the fourth ODI, when Kevin Pietersen was let off with a warning instead of a fine for his show of dissent in the third ODI at Ranchi on Saturday (January 19).
Pietersen was given out caught behind off Ishant Sharma when he was on 17, though replays suggested the ball had brushed his thigh pad and he hadn't got an edge. Pietersen lingered at the crease and shook his head all the way back from the crease to the dressing room, clearly unhappy with the decision of S Ravi, the umpire.
Andrew Pycroft, the match referee, spoke to Pietersen and Giles in Mohali about the incident, and Giles acknowledged that Pietersen should not have reacted in the way he did.
"As an experienced cricketer, Kevin should know that when an umpire raises his finger a player should leave the crease without showing his emotions, no matter what he may think of the decision," Giles was quoted as saying in The Independent. "It's tough for the umpires here. It's so loud decision-making is tough. We understand that."