What do you do when your assignment is to protect Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly, Rahul Dravid and the rest of India’s cricketing elite in a country where even the President had survived two assassination attempts? For Yashovardhan Azad, there was only one answer: trust no assurance without checking the facts.
In 2004, as India prepared for its first full cricket tour of Pakistan in nearly 15 years, the stakes extended far beyond the boundary ropes. The Kargil War was still a fresh memory, diplomatic efforts had repeatedly faltered, and terrorist attacks had exposed the fragility of regional peace. Sending the Indian team across the border was a bold diplomatic move. Keeping it safe was an extraordinary responsibility.
Azad, former IPS officer and special director of the Intelligence Bureau, was put in charge of the advance security arrangements. What followed was a mission in which official reassurances collided with hard security realities – and where caution could mean the difference between a triumphant sporting tour and a national tragedy.
In an interview with Indian Masterminds about his book Policing the Republic, he recalls an assignment in which professional vigilance mattered more than diplomatic optimism.
The Apprehensions
The apprehensions were real. India’s Parliament had been attacked in December 2001, and the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly had come under attack earlier that year. The Agra Summit had failed to break the deadlock between the two countries. Against this backdrop, sending the Indian team to Pakistan was bound to invite questions.
Even within cricketing circles, there was unease. Azad recalls concerns surrounding the tour, including those expressed by players’ families. His own brother, former cricketer Kirti Azad, opposed the visit, although he acknowledged that the decision had been taken at the leadership level. But the tour was going ahead, and Azad had a job to do.
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When Assurances Weren’t Enough
The security team first landed in Lahore before travelling to Islamabad for crucial meetings with Pakistani officials, including senior administrators and generals. The assurances they received were reassuringly simple: there was no security problem, and the Indian players would be safe. Azad was not convinced.
He pointed out that even Pakistan’s President Pervez Musharraf had survived two assassination attempts. If the country’s own head of state could be targeted, how could anyone confidently dismiss the threats facing Indian stars such as Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly and Rahul Dravid?
Azad insisted on a comprehensive security package, including arrangements for emergency medical evacuation. He wanted the routes, venues and other aspects of the tour examined thoroughly. His position was straightforward: he was in Pakistan to protect the team, and he was not prepared to take unnecessary risks.
Pakistan Succumbed
Eventually, the Pakistani authorities agreed to address his demands and facilitate inspections. The advance team began examining locations and routes, assessing vulnerabilities rather than relying solely on official assurances.
The importance of this preparation became apparent in the years that followed. Azad recalls that several places associated with the advance team’s movements subsequently witnessed terrorist attacks. Among the incidents he cites are the bombing of Islamabad’s Marriott Hotel and the 2009 attack on the Sri Lankan cricket team in Lahore, along a route he says he had inspected during the Indian tour Looking back, he considers the team fortunate to have completed the tour safely.
A Team to Remember
For all the tension surrounding the assignment, Azad’s memories are also filled with lighter moments. Travelling with the Indian team gave him a glimpse of the personalities behind the cricketing legends.
He recalls Tendulkar’s remarkable concentration during a visit to Lahore’s prestigious Aitchison College. Given a few minutes to himself, the master batter sat beneath a tree and meditated, leaving those around him impressed by his focus. Lakshmipathy Balaji, meanwhile, charmed Pakistani crowds with his infectious smile, while Ganguly projected the calm authority of a captain. Sehwag kept everyone entertained with his humour and practical jokes.
The Sultan of Multan
And then came the cricket. Sehwag’s monumental 309 in Multan earned him the enduring sobriquet “Multan ka Sultan”. Ganguly, Rahul Dravid, VVS Laxman, Irfan Pathan and Zaheer Khan also contributed to a tour that became memorable both on and off the field.
For Azad, the experience remains a lesson in the demands of high-stakes security: behind every celebrated sporting moment lies painstaking preparation, difficult decisions and people working quietly to ensure that the show goes on.
The 2004 tour became a landmark in cricket diplomacy. But for the officer responsible for protecting the players, its greatest achievement was simpler: India’s cricketing heroes returned home safely, having completed a journey that had once seemed fraught with danger.
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