The Indian cricket board (BCCI) flexed its muscle in sensational fashion by suspending its team’s tour of Australia pending the outcome of Harbhajan Singh’s appeal for racially abusing Andrew Symonds, reports The Age website.
The report further says:
“Harbhajan’s three-Test suspension for calling Symonds a “monkey” during the stormy SCG Test has triggered one of the most explosive developments in Australian sporting history.
The cash-rich BCCI risk a fine of up to $US2 million ($A2.3 million) for pulling out of the tour and could be liable to reimburse Cricket Australia for any losses incurred.
“The tour is on technically,” said team spokesman M.V Sridhar in Sydney.
The side had been scheduled to head to Canberra but instead were ordered to remain in Sydney until the BCCI send further instructions.
The decision followed a turbulent 24 hours after Australia’s dramatic victory over India at the SCG as relations between the two cricketing superpowers reached breaking point.”
Source: The Age (January 7, 2008)
