By IANS
New Delhi : The smiles were back on the faces of the Indian cricket board officials Tuesday as they hailed the decision of the International Cricket Council (ICC) to replace controversial umpire Steve Bucknor and to suspend the three-Test ban on Harbhajan Singh.
Harbhajan is now eligible to play the third India-Australia Test starting in Perth Jan 16, unless the appeal against the ban is heard before then and the decision goes against him again.
New Zealand’s Billy Bowden will replace Jamaican Steve Bucknor in Perth. Bucknor’s erroneous decisions contributed in a big way to India’s defeat during the second Test at Sydney.
“It (replacing Bucknor and fresh hearing on Harbhajan) was the prerogative of the ICC and they have done it. Our request to the ICC was to review it and they have done it. We are happy with it,” said Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) president Sharad Pawar.
“We are happy with this decision and welcome it. This is not someone’s win or anyone’s defeat. This is cricket’s victory,” said BCCI vice-president Rajiv Shukla.
Pawar also said that a decision on the Indian team’s further schedule in Australia would be discussed in a working committee meeting later Tuesday and would be conveyed to the captain and the team manager in Sydney, where the team is staying till further instructions.
The Indians had demanded the removal of Bucknor from the third Test and also wanted the ICC to revoke the ban on Harbhajan. With Bucknor replaced and the ban on Harbhajan suspended, the Tour can continue on schedule.
The Indian team is now expected to leave for Canberra Wednesday morning.
Shukla added: “We never said the tour will be called off. We have very good relations with Cricket Australia (CA) and will also continue doing it in future. We also don’t have any problem with the Australian team.”
The ban on Harbhajan followed an allegation by Australian all-rounder Andrew Symonds that the Indian cricketer had hurled racial abuse at him. Harbhajan and Sachin Tendulkar – the only other Indian present within earshot – have denied the charge and a fresh hearing is to be held.