 12 January 2008
India will not pull out of its tour of Australia, even if an appeal against spinner Harbhajan Singh's ban for alleged racist comments is rejected, media reports quoted India's cricket chief as saying Saturday.
The future of the tour had been in doubt after Singh was suspended for three tests for racially abusing Australian all-rounder Andrew Symonds during the second test — he allegedly called Symonds a monkey.
"There's no question of a pullout," Sharad Pawar, who heads the Board of Control for Cricket in India, told the Hindustan Times newspaper.
The BCCI allowed the team to continue with the tour following the granting of an appeal of Harbhajan's suspension, and the removal of umpire Steve Bucknor for the upcoming third test in Perth.
But speculation remained that India might halt the tour if Singh's hearing upholds the ban.
"The series will not be affected," Pawar told the paper. "We are focussed on fighting Harbhajan's case, but it all should be within the game."
Singh is free to play in Perth pending an appeal. A date for the appeal hearing has not been announced by the ICC.
Source: Assosiated Press |
