EXCLUSIVE: Senior Blackburn pros were responsible for Venky's India tour snub

Blackburn’s players have delivered a stunning blow to Indian owners Venkys – by ­shunning a pre-season tour to their homeland.

The trip was postponed yesterday when Steve Kean’s squad dug in and turned down the visit because of security concerns. Several senior pros were concerned about recent bombings in the country and feared for their safety.

The club had to sheepishly announce the call-off that is the latest setback for the chicken-farming group.

The debate has raged behind the scenes for days but came to a head on the eve of the trip and the Rovers regime accepted the team did not want to go.

The Rao family, who bought the club for £23million last year, hoped Rovers would help their companies and see the Lancashire team become India’s No.1 Premier League side. However, this snub is the latest problem they have come up against as their ­ambitious plans have hit serious trouble on many fronts.

Their business partners Kentaro have failed to find a shirt sponsor, rifts between the agents and the Pune-based group have emerged, with other ‘fixers’ trying to sell players.

To add to Kean’s gloom El Hadji Diouf returns to training today – and the £3m star faces a club fine for reporting late.

Rovers are desperate to dump the controversial star after his loan spell at Rangers last season.

David Anderson column: Time to cry fowl as Venky's face another Blackburn crisis