Pawar146;s pull-out threat: Racism charge against Harbhajan is unacceptable

The BCCI has made it clear that the fate of the Indian team8217;s Australia tour is linked to the appeal on the ban on off-spinner Harbhajan Singh.

The BCCI has made it clear that the fate of the Indian team8217;s Australia tour is linked to the appeal on the ban on off-spinner Harbhajan Singh.

In an interview to an Australian newspaper, BCCI chief Sharad Pawar has hinted that the threat of India pulling out of the tour was real if the ban was not lifted.

8220;Let8217;s see what happens, but allegations of racism against a member of our cricket team are not acceptable. After the meeting, we will take action,8221; he was quoted as saying in The Herald Sun. 8220;There will be an ICC committee hearing. We are confident that in the hearing he will be cleared,8221; he added.

But in Kolkata today, Pawar said that the standoff would not impact the tour. 8220;There is no question of a pull-out. The series will not be affected. We are focussed on fighting Harbhajan8217;s case but it should be within the game,8221; he said.

An ICC spokesman has said the hearing into Harbhajan8217;s appeal will take longer than the stipulated seven days. 8220;It should be held within seven days of a Commissioner being appointed but that can be extended,8221; he said.

New Zealand8217;s High Court judge John Hansen has been appointed the Appeals Commissioner for the hearing. Harbhajan was slapped a three-Test ban for allegedly racially abusing Australian all-rounder Andrew Symonds. The Indian players and the Board had threatened to abandon the tour after the controversial second Test in Sydney, marred by poor umpiring by Steve Bucknor and Mark Benson. The ICC immediately removed Bucknor from the panel of umpires for the third Test. Throwing its weight behind Singh, the BCCI today said in Kolkata that it would 8220;do everything8221; to ensure justice for Singh.

8220;BCCI has decided to give full support to Harbhajan and provide legal help to fight it out. If that means we have to seek legal assistance from abroad, we will do that,8221; Pawar told reporters on the sidelines of a seminar.

Story continues below this ad

8220;Three members of the Board 8212; Arun Jaitley and N Srinivasan, who are noted lawyers, and President-Elect Shashank Manohar8212;will look after the case,8221; he said.

Pawar, however, expressed satisfaction at the way the ICC had dealt with the Harbhajan case and the umpiring controversy as also the attitude of Cricket Australia on these issues.