BCCI asks Team India not to leave Sydney

The facts of the Harbhajan Singh - Andrew Symonds alleged racial incident during the second test match between Australia and India (Jan 2 - 6, 2008) are as follows:1) There is a strong possibility that Ponting and Symonds have gotten away scot free after having illegitimately and fraudulently influenced the outcome of a test match, in a PRE-MEDITATED manner, through EXTRANEOUS events. If this possibility is indeed a fact, then their actions amount to match-fixing which is illegal under ICC rules. Symonds walked upto Singh when the latter was batting in India's first innings and started a conversation with him. Several players walked by, but no one really knows what exactly they said to each other. Later, Ponting, the Australian captain, complained to the umpires alleging that Singh had called Symonds a monkey and claimed that to be a racial taunt. The umpires forwarded the complaint to the match referee who set a hearing on this issue to be held AFTER the match. Let us consider the circumstances: Symonds is well-established in the Australian side as a one-day player, but his place in the test playing side is far from assured, given his batting/bowling averages. To ingratiate himself to his captain so that his place would be assured, he could have devised this ploy to influence the outcome of the match. We must note particularly that, at this point, the match was poised in a very critical situation, given that the famed Indian line-up was just beginning to click (with Laxman's elegant century, followed by Tendulkar's). At this point of time, it was far from obvious that the Australians would go onto win the match, but it was much more crucial for them to win the match than it was for India, because Australia had just won 14 tests in a row, and were going after Steve Waugh's record of 15 consecutive wins. If Australia had not won this test, they would have had to wait at least another 14 tests to be in the same situation, numerically speaking. Thus the stakes were disporportionately high for Australia to have to win this match. It appears that Andrew Symonds saw this situation as a perfect opportunity for causing events that would win the gratitude of his team, which would thus provide him with an assured place in the test playing side.

Dear HariG and KrishP: Thanks for your comments. But, please note that getting emotional about the issue at this point in time does not really serve any purpose. Sacking Pawar or blaming the technology or blaming the Umpires (as all the major Indian dailies seem to have done) simply plays into the hands of the Australian media. The fact is that there is prima-facie evidence for match fixing by Ponting and Symonds, as has been pointed out in my previous comment, and in this hour of national importance,one must not let the Australian media divert the attention away from an investigation into this match fixing. Already some conciliatory suggestions are being made from the Australian media (e.g. Peter Roebuck) that Ponting should be sacked. But this again seems to be a ploy. After carefully considering the issue, I have come to the conclusion that the only appropriate response is to ban the entire Australian team for a year, for illegitimately trying the fix the outcome of a test match (using unconventional methods like bringing untoward pressure on the umpires/match referee, exaggerated display of victimization through racial prejudice, etc). I understand that this is a huge proposal to ban the Australian team, but the evidence is overwhelming and I intend to make the case for it over the course of the next few days in my comments in various forums. Thank you.

Why can't BCCI do it with Bucknour what Pakistan did with HAIR ?Are we led to believe that BCCI is incompetent (lot of politicians) and lacks confidence ? Frankly, it wouldn't come to me as a surprise. I can foresee BCCI's timidity will force team to play in 3rd test sans Bhajji under the mindless decisions of Bucknour. UNTIL, UNLESS, Indians wake up, BCCI never will !!

hypothesis : dont think bajji would have dared to abuse symonds in australia. what if he had done so when australia toured india last year? what if the aussies have ganged up to fix bajji now since they could do nothing when they were in india? doesnt seem all that far fetched. maybe that is why bajji is not protesting too strongly ? think about it.

Arun Jately, Infact should file a lawsuit on Mr. Steve Bucknor

The Problem stars from as the starts. There is no planning . No proper practice and time to adjust new environment. We are wrong with the selection itself . We are not able to select a tough one as a Captain who is able to protect the entire team from abuses and lift the spirit of the team who is a natural leader. We done a first mistake and also we underestimate the opposition and over estimating some of the players and want to advertise them .But there is god who knows that unjustification to some one in team everyone knows that. So all are suffering for this unjustification. We are weak in bowling(fast ) without sreesanth.There is no proper backup for this. We suffered this once jaheer khan is unwell.There is no proper openers who can take attack to oppositon when needed. We are always defensive mood. it reflects when we are sending rahul as opener eventhough who isn ot fit as opener. We missed a defensive batsman in middle.Another mistake is we know that second innings itself we need to stay for long time atleast for draw . When jaffer fails repeatedly at this crusial time also we sent him as opener and who fails as we expected . It puts extra burden on others , next bats man.so they collapsed.Here the captain needs to take a independent decision ( not the one of BCCI) to promote some one suitable as opener. Empires played as expected.We honestly needs to select the best as captain withour any type of BIAS. Ex: so we BCCI does not want to promote a particular one, so they selected kumble as the captian because tendulkar has turned down the offer because he knows that he is not the right person.Same thing everyone of team india has to think and rufuse to accept as caption.so there is justification.So the team will perform well.The BCCI itself entirely responsible for what happened at AUSTRALIA.

What do you expect from Mike Proctor a South African ? For him a white man's (Ponting) word is always better than 3 "Kalus" (Sachin, Harbhajan and Shridhar). The least we could have done is to say "we are seriously re-considering the tour" last nught itself.

it is high time that the australians are taught a lesson.the indian team should play the match like the school boys. the batsmen should bowl and all the fieldres should stand near the boundry to make the game a mockery. the match referee and the Australian cricket board should learn to digest the facts. cricket is n9oo longer a gentleman's game.

Sledging is the fundamental right of Australians and we Indians respect our parents and our guests but Australians have different culture, they neither respect their parents nor anyone, take a case of Sharad pawar , how they pushed him from the dice.BCCI are good in talks but when the time come to act they go in the cell.Right from the word go to the third test,they should called off the tour just to show, how we Indians are proud of ourselves, when we come to the wrong judgement, otherwise we all will sack BCCI, Australians and the umpires.

BCCI should ask ICC to cancel the result as the match seems fixed by Australians to create a record. Our team should come back. We fully support our team and BCCI.For the sake of the nation's pride we should return and defeat the bad spirited Australian cricketers and their body. When kevin peterson can be called back after replays why not our players.

India Must suspend the tour and call back team. It is matter of National Pride which is more inportant than not just few million Dollars.

Powar should call back the team

Question remains if we should trust the Australia's Cricketing body and their players or not and the ICC? If it was America instead of us they would certainly have walked away from the tour. If we can't come back due to our 'shameless', 'spineless' politicians, the day is not far when Australia will go back from their tour of India with none of our fault and by doing that they will slap in the face whole of the nation of India. This will happen in the next series itself. And also this time ICC seems to be a part of whole conspiracy as usual. For the sake of the nation's pride we should return and defeat the bad spirited Australian cricketers and their body.

Weldone BCCI. All other Cricketing Nation must learn a lesson, that we complain against Australian Partiality. Everyone including Umpires, Match Refree and ICC are acting one sided with Australians. I have seen this Match fully... I fully convinced that Australians played a BAD GAME without sportsman ship. They have fooled Millions of Cricket admirers. Umpires did a worst job, lots of decisions are seems willingly they have given favouring Australians raising lots of suspicions. Finally the Match refree who should have hold the verdict against Harbhajan due to lots of other controversies. Now this game of Cricket has become One sided. Hence BCCI must stand strong against such Partiality. Australians must learn a lesson from this strong action.

IT IS TIME

We all know Symond is not a honest man and the ICC officials were not fair to Team India. So, this tour must be suspended immediately.At the most the Australians will claim for lost in revenue. If Aussies want some money for tour suspension, so what? Throw some money on their face.Principles and Dignity is more important than money.

I STRONGLY support Harbajan and call Australians are first degree rascists. On the otherhand, Indians are NO angels as we are proven Rascists as with a sizeable population are UNTOUCHABLES, and treated as second (worst) class citizens. It is the worst rascism of humankind, and the whole world knows it. We have a weak point here. Flames and Flowers are welcome

Power and Rajiv Shukla are representing the fans of cricketer game lovers and the BCCI is not thier fifedom or any one else.It matters very little the BCCI makes profit out of this tour or any future fixtures.It is matter of National Pride which should be the prime consideration nor whether of its officails will miss presidentship of the ICC or any other profitable post for making personal profts.Power betryaed the country when he allowed substandard Aussi wheat in the coutry for being circulated in PDSystem in Maharashtra! He should be kept out any decesion amking as far as tour is concerned whether he likes it not.

Most of the Australian cricketrs are known for their ungentlemen behaviors for years. I thought Ricky Ponting was an exception. But he proved me wrong. They way things are going, there is nothing left in 'cricket'. Indian team should cancel the tour and return home as a protest. Don't for get, Mike Proctor of a product of the racist era. How he can be non-partisan?

Recently read that it was $2.3 million fine that kept the BCCI from calling the team back. I think they should have slapped the money on ICC's face and come back. Afterall $2.3 million is nothing for the BCCI. It is certainly not bigger than the self esteem. That proves that when it comes to chicken politics, BCCI is at the top, but when it comes to tough decision, they go into their own shell.

I see all of responses criticizing Ausees. However, Indians and India Team must also realize this is only a game, and there are Rules to follow, no matter how much they appear to be disagreering to the masses. Rules also include taking, following, and honoring the decisions made by the Authorities. Of course, one can also question the authority in the "next" go around and only After The Facts. Likely that the umpires who are responsible to make correct interpretations should be discarded for good and be released permanently from their places. Otherwise, this can happen in every game being played regardless of where it is and who is playing against who. All players disciplines to othere is also a measurement of how respectful the team members are. There is absolutely no reason to think of Lagan and the age old facts of India today to think all whites are slavedrivers, and therefore to be challenged for their forefathers had done to India. Afterall, we have to rise above that.

What ever the shameless BCCI officials may say,we the people of Indi undder no circumstances want our players who have been willfully and intentionally should be made to bear the humility of this uncivilised world.They may not be having and/or care National Pride for thier self aggradisement for which thse so called are known for all these years cannot be and should not be permitted the Nation and Players to suffer any further humiliatin.They, the Officials if they are enamured by white skin they can do so to thier own leaders but not in the international areana under andty circumstances. It is time when the nation must show its teeth in the international areana remove these so called officials should they act against the national intersts for achieving their piped dreams

Australians went too far in this second test, they looks to be in rampaging mood and their body language is showing they want to win desparately win at any cost. Surprisingly umpires acted like a catalyst and this issue is blown out of proportion.Not sure why Aussies are so desparate win, is it convent or kindergarten school game? They don't need to prove they're no.1 team, entire world knows their strength. What they want to achieve by winning this game? and spoiling cricket and some what diplomatic relations with india?Now whole india and entire cricket loving fans watched the naked macbre dance and umpiring skills of Steve bucknor

Team india should follow gandhigiri. They will play third test. During test, it they will bat first. then all player should volunterily runout and our score board should be 0/10, then when indian bowler start balling they should ball all no-ball. Let them win all mathceas and oneday in same way

Im just wondering, how can indian board take such things so lightly??????? They wont be playing practice match?????????? A very big favor?????????????? Rather the team should be called back.......... R V that greedy for money?????? Has our board become bankrupt??????? Its time for Mr Pawar to take a bold step......