It's been a shocking week for cricket, says England's Hussain

Mohali, India, December 1: England's cricket captain Nasser Hussain on Saturday slammed the recent crisis between India and the sport's governing body, but was relieved the players were back in the spotlight.

"I'm not amused at what's gone on. It's been a shocking week for cricket," said Hussain as his team prepared for Monday's first Test against India at the Mohali cricket stadium here.

England's current tour would almost certainly have been cancelled had the International Cricket Council (ICC) not worked out an agreement with Indian authorities on Friday over the Virender Sehwag episode. Under the deal, India agreed to an ICC directive to keep Sehwag out of the Mohali Test in return for a review of match referee Mike Denness's decisions.

Denness, a former England captain, handed Sehwag a one-Test suspension and fined him 75 percent of his match fee for excessive appealing during the second Test against South Africa at Port Elizabeth.

Although five other Indian players were also pulled up, including star batsman Sachin Tendulkar, Sehwag's punishment was the most severe and prompted India to question Denness's verdicts. The tour was threatened when India challenged the authority of the ICC by including Sehwag in the 14-man squad for the first Test last week.

Hussain was not amused and conceded the controversy had hit his team's preparations for the three-Test series. "We have been in India for almost three weeks and so far all that had been discussed was the future of this tour," Hussian said.

"That's so disappointing, but I always thought the series would go ahead because I know how much people here love the game. "It would have been a shock to them if the series had been cancelled. They are desperate to watch it.

"I'm not amused at what's gone on. It's been a shocking week for cricket." England, meanwhile, suffered a blow when coach Duncan Fletcher revealed that his only experienced spinner, Ashley Giles, was a doubtful starter for the Test.

"Giles bruised his heel while fielding in the previous match and has not fully recovered. He is unlikely to play," Fletcher told reporters. The absence of Giles, who claimed 17 wickets on the last tour of Pakistan, left England facing the prospect of choosing between uncapped off-spinners Richard Dawson and Martyn Ball.