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India will finish tour

12/01/2008

India have decided they will complete the tour of Australia even if Harbhajan Singh's appeal against a three-match ban is turned down.

The spinner was banned after he allegedly made a racist remark towards Australian all-rounder Andrew Symonds in the second Test in Sydney. India suspended the tour after Harbhajan was banned and were also unhappy with the performance of umpire Steve Bucknor.

India chose to continue with the tour after Harbhajan was allowed to continue playing until the result of his appeal was known. Bucknor was dropped for the third Test, which starts at Perth on Wednesday.

But there were still reports that India would cancel the tour if the International Cricket Council (ICC) upheld Harbhajan's ban.

Sharad Pawar, the president for the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), now says his country will definitely finish the tour.

"There's no question of a pull-out," said Pawar. "The series will not be affected. We are focused on fighting Harbhajan's case, but it all should be within the game.

"We have decided to give full support to Harbhajan, and we will provide all the legal help to fight it out. If that means we have to seek legal assistance from abroad, we will do that."

India still have two Tests to play against Australia and then compete in a triangular series against the Aussies and Sri Lanka, which finishes in early March.