Kapil Dev defended the Government's decision not to resume cricketing ties with Pakistan till the tension between the two countries de-escalated.
"Is the country important or playing cricket? To me, the country is more important than playing the game for the amusement of some," the 1983 World Cup winning captain told reporters here.
"Emotion is not more important than the country," he remarked when asked whether he would play a role in normalisation of sports relations between the two countries.
Asked whom he would rate as favourite to win the next year's World Cup, Kapil said "India have everthing that a champion team requires, but I would rate the Aussies as the favourites."
Sri Lankan Sports Minister Johnston Fernando today averted what could have been a row with the national selectors by clearing a 17-member squad to tour South Africa.
The selectors had ignored Fernando's concerns over a request by captain Sanath Jayasuriya, leading to speculation about a possible row between the minister and the selectors.
The selection committee, headed by former Test player Guy De Alwis, had declined Jayasuriya's plea to exclude reserve wicketkeeper Prasanna Jayawardena and include batsman Dilshan Tillekaratne and pacer Kaushalya Weeraratne.
Pakistan fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar will miss the third Test against Australia in Sharjah.
He has a sore back and team officials do not want to risk further damage ahead of tours to Zimbabwe and South Africa with the series already lost.
Ashes series
England arrived in Australia for the Ashes on Friday confident that they can at least give the hosts something to think about over the next few months.
Australia have won the last seven series and the last time the two sides met in England in 2001, they hammered the hosts 4-1.
But England opener Marcus Trescothick believes England have the weapons to worry the Ashes holders.
"It's always nice to see in your own side that you've got some genuine fast bowlers and we've got a couple of those with us," Trescothick revealed at Perth airport.
"I have experience behind me and I will be offering advice," said England wicket-keeper Alec Stewart.
"I will do anything I can do to help bring on a player, whether it is Nasser Hussain as captain, or whether it is the youngest player."
This winter's trip will be Stewart's fourth - and surely final - Ashes tour, and he cannot wait for the action to start.
"It is the best tour from my point of view," he said. "I had eight years playing club cricket in Perth in the 1980s and it is a great country, I enjoy the people and playing there.
