"To extend our sympathies to the families of those who have lost their loved ones in the Mumbai attacks and as a cricketer, we are here to win a Test match series in India. The England players will pay half their match fees from the first Test match to the families of the victims of the Mumbai attacks," said Cook.

Reading from a team statement, Cook said the past week had been very difficult for the team and that their return to India was a "public statement in support for the Indian people following the tragic event in Mumbai."

England arrived in India on Monday after security experts were satisfied with the measures put in place for the two Test matches, which were switched to Chennai from Ahmedabad and to Mohali (December 19-23) from Mumbai.

City police and commandos cordoned off the Chidambaram Stadium. Heavily armed guards lined the boundary line as some of the Indian team practised on Monday.

Earlier, the Chennai city police commissioner said that a 3,000-strong force drawn from police and commando units had been assigned for player security.