Aussie skipper Ponting pleads for calm after India fallout

AUSTRALIA captain Ricky Ponting has called for calm after India supporters demonstrated in the streets in response to the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) decision to ban spin bowler Harbhajan Singh for three Tests.

India called a halt to their Australian tour and lodged an appeal with the ICC after Harbhajan, 27, was found guilty of calling Andrew Symonds a “monkey” during India’s ill-tempered second Test defeat in Sydney.

After a complaint was made by Australia during the game, match referee Mike Procter was persuaded Harbhajan had used the word and that “he meant it to offend on the basis of Symonds’ race or ethnic origin”.

However, the Board of Control for Cricket in India do not believe there was sufficient evidence to punish Harbhajan and responded by ordering the team to remain in Sydney rather than travel to Canberra for their next tour match.

In India, supporters burned effigies and chanted “India come back home” in response to the ICC’s decision, but Ponting hopes the strong cricketing bond between Australia and India will help to diffuse the situation.

Ponting said: “I think it’s important for all of us to look past that and realise that both India and Australia have had tremendous relations through 100 years of Test cricket.

“And you’d like to think that one little incident like this wouldn’t bring undone all the great work that’s been done for such a long period of time between us.

“I think the whole (Test) has been tainted a little bit by some of the events during and then after the game.

“Otherwise I think this actual game and the first Test in Melbourne — apart from the one issue which everyone knows about right at the moment — was played in very, very good spirits.

“Sure, there’s been something else in the background here — that’s happened in this last Test — that’s probably put a sour taste in a couple of the Indian [players’] mouths.

“It’s disappointing and they are entitled to their opinion, but if you look back at the game, I really can’t see how we have done anything wrong by the spirit of the game.”

Meanwhile, former India captain Mohammad Azharuddin admitted that he hopes the incident does not result in a boycott of the remainder of the tour.

“I honestly feel the tour should go on,” Azharuddin said.

“I think it’s very unfortunate if it’s happened, but I don’t think it is something Harbhajan Singh would do and I don’t think the tour should be cancelled.”