The BCCI has made it clear that the fate of the Indian team’s Australia tour is linked to the appeal on the ban on off-spinner Harbhajan Singh.

In an interview to an Australian newspaper, BCCI chief Sharad Pawar has hinted that the threat of India pulling out of the tour was real if the ban was not lifted.

“Let’s see what happens, but allegations of racism against a member of our cricket team are not acceptable. After the meeting, we will take action,” he was quoted as saying in The Herald Sun. “There will be an (ICC) committee hearing. We are confident that in the hearing he will be cleared,” he added.

But in Kolkata today, Pawar said that the standoff would not impact the tour. “There is no question of a pull-out. The series will not be affected. We are focussed on fighting Harbhajan’s case but it should be within the game,” he said.

An ICC spokesman has said the hearing into Harbhajan’s appeal will take longer than the stipulated seven days. “It should be held within seven days of a Commissioner being appointed but that can be extended,” he said.

New Zealand’s High Court judge John Hansen has been appointed the Appeals Commissioner for the hearing. Harbhajan was slapped a three-Test ban for allegedly racially abusing Australian all-rounder Andrew Symonds. The Indian players and the Board had threatened to abandon the tour after the controversial second Test in Sydney, marred by poor umpiring by Steve Bucknor and Mark Benson. The ICC immediately removed Bucknor from the panel of umpires for the third Test. Throwing its weight behind Singh, the BCCI today said in Kolkata that it would “do everything” to ensure justice for Singh.

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