Indian team warned of possible backlash from Proteas fans over truncated tour

The Indian national cricket team touring South Africa may come in danger if the South African cricket enthusiasts take out their anger with the Indian cricket authorities on them, warned an Indian cricket website.

World Cup champions and No 1-ranked in the one-day international arena, India, which is second on the Test ladder to South Africa, will shortly arrive for the controversially abbreviated trip, starting with the first of the three ODIs at the Wanderers next Thursday.

According to Sport24, managing editor of www.wisdenindia.com Anand Vasu said that although the biggest challenge will remain with the atmospheric and ground conditions, India could face a different hurdle from the Proteas fans, whose anger over the Board of Control for Cricket in India's (BCCI) decision to curtail the tour has not yet died down.

Stating that the wounds are still raw, Vasu further said that the fans still feel that they have been robbed their marquee New Year's Test at Newlands, adding that there is a serious risk that fans will take this out on the team that takes the field as it is not unheard of for a visiting team to be treated in a hostile manner by a home crowd.

According to Vasu, with no BCCI officials in sight to take offence with, the fans may train their sights on the cricketers as even though the team, the board and country are different entities, it is not easy for the average fan to distinguish between the three.

Vasu further said that an environment filled with 'negativity, hurt and anger' was possible and urged India to brace itself, as it may ' not always make for pretty viewing'.