The ICC also appointed its chief referee Sri Lankan Ranjan Madugalle as a “facilitator” to assist match referee Mike Procter who had banned the Indian off-spinner for three Tests on charges of racially abusing Australian all-rounder Andrew Symonds.

“It is accepted that Steve (Bucknor), and his on-field colleague Mark Benson, did not have good games by their very high standards and we feel that given the added pressure and attention Steve’s presence would have at the third Test, it is better for the match and for Steve himself if he does not take part,” said ICC Chief Executive Malcolm Speed at a press conference in Melbourne.

Bucknor and Benson had sparked a furore with a series of appalling decisions in the second Test that India lost by 122 runs. With most of those decisions going against India, the tour plunged into uncertainty after match referee Procter handed down the ban against Harbhajan.

The Indians had denied the charges strongly, and have stayed put in Sydney since, waiting for the BCCI to “sort out both matters” with the ICC, instead of proceeding to Canberra for a scheduled practice game.

Speed, however, insisted that the move to remove Bucknor was not “due to any representations made by any team or individuals”.

The BCCI welcomed the removal of Bucknor — he will be replaced by New Zealand’s Billy Bowden who will officiate along with Pakistan’s Asad Rauf — with its vice-president Rajiv Shukla calling it a “victory for cricket”.

Later, after an emergency meeting of the BCCI’s working committee, treasurer N Srinivasan, said: “The working committee fully and unequivocally endorsed the stand taken by the president and concerned officials with respect to the quality of umpiring and totally uncalled for, unjustified and patently illegal ban imposed on Harbhajan Singh by the match referee... The working committee of the BCCI took note of all relevant circumstances and developments and decided that Indian team tour to Australia should continue “for the present”. The BCCI will review the tour and all other developments continuously. The BCCI will request the ICC Appeals Commissioner, appointed to hear Harbhajan Singh’s appeal, to expeditiously dispose of the appeal... ICC has clarified to the Board that Harbhajan Singh could play till final disposal of the appeal. This is only an interim arrangement. BCCI is of the categorical view that the matter will have to be finally resolved and the unfair allegation against an Indian player be set aside/withdrawn.”

Though Harbhajan has been cleared to play in Perth pending a final decision, a reaffirmation of the ban could spark a fresh crisis.

In a letter sent yesterday to ICC president Ray Mali, BCCI president Sharad Pawar made it clear that the tour will be called off if the ban was not revoked. The ICC, meanwhile, has confirmed that it has received an “official notification” from the BCCI on the appeal.

For now, the ICC has managed to put a lid on the simmering crisis by admitting that the decision to “replace Steve for this match was made in the best interests of the game and the series”. The ICC also hopes that former Test batsman Madugalle’s arrival in Australia will cool down tempers further.

“We are bringing Ranjan in as a facilitator in an effort to prevent any ill-feeling that may have been present at the Sydney Test from rolling over to Perth. Ranjan is our chief referee and a highly respected figure within the game. He will remind the captains and other players of their responsibilities to conduct themselves in line with the Spirit of Cricket,” said Speed.

“The decision was made in the interests of giving the series a fresh start following instances of ill-feeling between the teams and some on-field umpiring errors that have been made in the series so far. It is also designed to create an environment whereby the match can be played without undue attention and added pressure being heaped on the match officials,” he said.