Two county cricketers who retired young, John Carr, the ECB's director of cricket operations, and Tim O'Gorman, a senior executive from the Professional Cricketers' Association, have been entrusted with the delicate task of flying to India to case the joint ahead of the England tour. They leave on Wednesday to meet Indian officials and discuss security arrangements for the anxiety-ridden Test squad, who are due to leave on Wednesday November 13. Carr and O'Gorman will travel to Delhi and Kolkata -- neither of which is actually on the itinerary for the three-Test series -- and will be accompanied by Peter Holland, First Secretary at the British High Commission. They will be in India for just two nights, returning home on Saturday.

They will meet the formidable new and former president of the Indian board, Jagmohan Dalmiya, who has successfully bullied far more senior officials than Carr, 38, and O'Gorman, 34.

They also hope to meet officials from the Indian government's Home Ministry, which is responsible for security arrangements during the tour, and Tom McCann, Britain's Deputy High Commissioner, whose immediate boss, Sir Rob Young, addressed the tourists at Lord's last week.

"This visit in no way calls into question the security arrangements planned by the Indian authorities," insisted Carr, in what sounded like one protestation too many. "Following the events of September 11, security is obviously a concern and we feel that it is absolutely right that we meet with the Indian authorities to confirm details of their arrangements."

It is a big moment for two men who made their names as county batsmen (Carr with Middlesex, O'Gorman with Derbyshire), and who both fit snugly into the English cricket establishment. Carr is the son of Donald, who went on England's 1951-52 tour of India as vice-captain, and ended up leading them in the fifth Test in place of Nigel Howard. India won – their first victory over England in 15 attempts. Carr senior also managed England's 1972-73 trip to India, when Tony Lewis's team shrugged off death threats from Black September terrorists.

O'Gorman will represent the players, five of whom have yet to commit to the tour. A qualified solicitor, he is married to the daughter of Lord MacLaurin, chairman of the ECB. Whether his father-in-law will be able to offer any tips on negotiating with Dalmiya is another matter.

Lawrence Booth is assistant editor of Wisden.com.

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