LONDON - MacLaurin believes the decision to abort the seven-week trip was correct and does not think the England team should return.
Although the two-Test series is still on, England’s squad head home on Saturday, which in itself must cast it into some doubt.
Board of Control for Cricket in India vice-president Lalit Modi insists the matches will take place - the first on December 11 in Ahmedabad and the second in Chennai - following the terror attacks in Mumbai.
But, with the final two limited-overs matches already scrapped, players will now spend the next few days with their families at home with captain Kevin Pietersen stating no-one would be forced back.
“It was absolutely the right decision to come home,” said MacLaurin. “The England cricket team are very high-profile individuals.
“If these fanatics are going to target people then the England cricket side could be a very big target for them.
“My own view is that I would be very, very surprised if the security people will give them the okay to go back.
“For myself, I don’t think they should go back.
“I think it’s sad for cricket but the safety of our players is absolutely paramount and I am sure that the ECB will take the same view.”
MacLaurin was chairman of the ECB back in 2001 when Robert Croft and Andrew Caddick pulled out of the tour of India amid security concerns post-September 11.
India-born Vikram Solanki, who last played for England in last year’s World Twenty20 Championship in South Africa, backed the current players’ choice to take stock of the situation on home soil.
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