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Ponting and Kumble want truce

10/01/2008

Australia captain Ricky Ponting and his Indian counterpart Anil Kumble have both insisted it is time to concentrate on cricket again.

The series between the two teams has been overshadowed by allegations that Indian spinner Harbhajan Singh made a racial remark towards Andrew Symonds, and Australia's Brad Hogg is accused of making an offensive remark towards Kumble and Mahendra Singh Dhoni.

India threatened to quit the tour after Harbhajan was banned for three matches, but he has been allowed to play on after he appealed the decision.

The four match series, which Australia lead 2-0, will now continue with the third Test in Perth starting on Wednesday January 16th.

"I want to move on and I want us to play the best series we can from here on in," said Ponting, who also admitted that he regretted some of the things he did as captain in the second Test in Sydney.

He added: "There are certainly some areas when you look back that you would think 'maybe I should have walked a second earlier in the first innings when I was given out lbw' or 'maybe I should have reacted differently here.'"

Ponting will meet with Kumble before the Perth Test to try and sort things out between the two teams, and the Indian captain shared the same thoughts as Ponting.

"This was just a temporary setback and we need to move on - the game is bigger than the individual," said Kumble.

"It's nice to be playing cricket again and I have no problems. The relationship between India and Australia has always been good."

India and Australia still have two Tests to play and then take part in a triangular one-day series which includes Sri Lanka.