KEY POINTS:
India's cricket board yesterday suspended its team's tour of Australia pending the outcome of an appeal against a ban on bowler Harbhajan Singh for racially abusing Andrew Symonds.
Harbhajan's three-test suspension, for allegedly calling Symonds a "monkey" during the stormy second test in Sydney, has triggered one of cricket's more explosive rows.
The wealthy Board of Control of Cricket in India risks a fine of up to US$2 million ($2.6 million) if it pulls out of the tour and could be made to make up any losses Cricket Australia incurs.
"The tour is on technically," said team spokesman M.V. Sridhar in Sydney last night.
The side were to have gone to Canberra yesterday, but instead were ordered to remain in Sydney until the BCCI sent further instructions.
The decision capped a turbulent 24 hours after Australia's dramatic victory over India at the Sydney Cricket Ground.
Harbhajan's punishment was the final straw for the tourists, who are 2-0 behind in the four-test series.
Skipper Anil Kumble accused the Australians after the test of not playing in the spirit of the game, and the BCCI has demanded that umpire Steve Bucknor be removed from the third test in Perth, scheduled to start next Wednesday.
But the International Cricket Council last night said it had no plans to sack the Jamaican umpire.
The Indian camp intends to submit its appeal against Harbhajan's suspension today.
"The Indian board realises the game of cricket is paramount but so too is the honour of the Indian team and for that matter every Indian," the BCCI said.
"To vindicate its position, the board will fight the blatantly false and unfair slur on an Indian player."
The tourists have argued that Harbhajan's hearing was a case of the word of the Indian players against that of the Australians, and the spinner should not have been found guilty.
The latest developments caught Cricket Australia off guard. A spokesman said senior officials were unaware of the tour suspension despite having been in contact with BCCI president Sharad Pawar.
Cricket Australia's chief executive, James Sutherland, earlier tried to ease fears over the tour's future.
The Indians are due to play an ACT Invitational XI this week in Canberra.
Sutherland said Cricket Australia backed the "hard but fair" way Australia played, but hoped Australian captain Ricky Ponting and Kumble could meet to discuss their sides' differences of opinion.
The Indians have also lodged a complaint against Australia's Brad Hogg for abusive language towards Kumble during the second test.
In India, effigies of umpires Bucknor and England's Mark Benson have been burned in the streets, and newspapers blamed poor decisions by the two officials for India's losses.
"Umpires give Oz 2-0 lead," screamed a headline in the Times of India newspaper.
- AAP
