India to decide on tour future after ICC action

By Sanjay Rajan

MUMBAI, India (Reuters) - India's cricket board is satisfied with the International Cricket Council's decision to drop umpire Steve Bucknor from the third test against Australia and will decide on the future of the tour later on Tuesday.

"We are happy that this issue (umpiring) has been resolved, but the working committee will meet tonight and decide on the future course," board secretary Niranjan Shah told Reuters on Tuesday.

Indian board (BCCI) president Sharad Pawar hinted concerns that the tour could be called off had eased following the ICC decisions.

"Definitely I'm happy," he told reporters in New Delhi. "Particularly I'm grateful to the Australian board for taking a very positive approach in the matter.

"Our relationship with the Australian board is extremely good and that will continue."

He said the BCCI would convey its decision to the tour manager in Sydney, where the squad has been asked to remain until further instructions.

On Monday, the BCCI suspended the tour pending the outcome of an appeal for spinner Harbhajan Singh, who was handed a three-test suspension by match referee Mike Procter for racially abusing Australia all-rounder Andrew Symonds during the second test in Sydney.

Asked whether the tour would now go on, BCCI vice-president Rajeev Shukla said: "We've never said the tour will be called off."