Ways to Save the tour

Three ways out of the present mess. But India might need all three to be accepted.

-- As per a report in the HT, Law 3.1.7 of the playing handbook states that ‘’Neither team will have a right of objecting to an umpiring appointment.” Bucknor will go only if a majority in the ICC executive panel votes for his sacking.’’

So an emergency meeting of the ICC executive panel can take care of the situation. If the majority decides that Bucknor stays, then India must proceed with the tour and decide on the future course of action on such issues after the tour. ICC must convene this meeting before the third test. They must not be insensitive to the Indian demands considering how things went.

-- Ban on Harbhajan should be suspended and a more broad based hearing should decide if in the absence of an audio, video or umpires’ evidence, the acceptance of a player’s word against the other, is in conformity with the law of natural justice. It is because we are setting a new precedent and it should not be set just by one match referee. Tomorrow, a match referee should be able to penalise an Australian if the Pakistanis or the South Africans lodge complaints not audible or visible in broadcasters' studio, or heard by the umpires.

-- Set of Challenges must start on experimental basis from the third test itself. A decision can certainly be taken on this. That should not include LBWs, but certainly the nicks that go on on to hit the pads and the ones lapped up by the keeper or the slips, but not heard by the umpires. This will ensure fair play. Otherwise an Indian team, with the mentality of a victim, will not be able to slug it out at Perth.

The Perth test starts from the 16th. So the ICC, concerned boards, and two teams have a week to sort out the issue.