India suspends Australia tour

India have suspended the Australia cricket tour pending the outcome of an appeal against a 3-match ban on Harbhajan Singh. The BCCI has appealed against the ban and has asked the team to stay back in Sydney and not travel to Canberra for the third Test match scheduled on Thursday.

Symonds and Harbhajan were seen having an animated discussion after which the Aussies alleged a racism slur by the Indian off-spinner on Symonds. Match referee Mike Procter slapped a 3-Test ban on Harbhajan; Indians are appealing against the decision.

'The Indian Board realises the game of cricket is paramount but so too is the honour of the Indian team and for that matter every Indian,' says BCCI. India have reacted to Harbhajan's ban by lodging their own complaint against Australia's Brad Hogg for allegedly making an abusive comment to one of their players, according to some reports.

The off-spinner is the first player punished for a racist remark since South Africa's Herschelle Gibbs was suspended for three matches in January 2007.