Your assertion that the person who provoke Zidane is false. Marco Matterazzi was given a two match suspension for his part in the incident.

The Indian government should immediately call off this tour as the present controversy has been vitiating the atmosphere to the extent of seriously affecting the relationship between the two countries.

When Australia has been encouraging its players to indulge in sledging as a form of mind game to intimidate the opponents for years then it was just a matter of time for the bubble to burst. Ricky Ponting, being the cheat and the liar he is, was only too happy to use these tactics to defeat the opponents. Even the slightest retaliation from the opponents in the recent months has resulted in the present imbroglio. That is why cricket has to be played in the true spirit of the game as was being laregly practiced in the olden days and most of the Australia’s opponents still continue to do. The Indian government ought to call off this tour to avoid vitiating the atmosphere further and to allow time for the tempers to cool down so as to keep the option open for matches sometime in future instead of causing a possible permanent damage to the relationship.

You cant be much of a cricket lover if you want this tour called off probably the dumbest thing said said the test match finished this was one game i believe its a storm in the tea cup once the next test is under way i hope its all forgotten i think they should let H. Singh play hes not a massive threat to the aussies other than ponting the big threat is Kumble who is all class and will be hard to face in Perth on the hard bouncy wicket.

I COULDN'T HAVE SAID IT BETTER MYSELF :) bubble burst Also, I don't think it was right of Bhaji to call Symonds a monkey IF he did. But I also do not think it was right of the umpire to take the word of 3 Australian players over the word of one indian - this was unfair and seems quite biased to me. Furthermore, I do not think India should have said that calling Symonds a monkey is not a bad thing - even though one of our Hindu Gods is a monkey incarnation - the indians were definitely not saying u are like Hanuman Ji (monkey God). I believe they were giving their own aggression back to the Australian players after being assaulted by them. Kumble's appeal for Brad Hogg ALLEGEDLY calling them bastards. One other thing - RACISM -" is a form of discrimination based on race, especially the belief that one race is superior to another". Hence, white over black or black over white. Indians are perceived as "black", as is Symonds. Calling Symonds a monkey was not racist - this was an assault - more accurately def

One last thing - Australia is know as sledging the most out of all countries in the game. This is highlighted by their dominance and history of racial controversy surrounding their own umpires, commentators and players in previous test matches. But, did the ICC ever do anything that big about it? Why is there so much hype about India's name calling, and why have the ICC given such a harsh penalty even though Bhaji was not proven guilty in a just way. Why is he being sentenced in a much greater manner than the Australians who have sledged more often in a greater manner in previous years? I hope Australia's so called "on field mentality" "playing mind games" and "playing the game hard" isn't an excuse for their atrocious record of disorderly onfield behaviour. According to most professionals & officials, cricket is meant to be a gentleman's game - how is verbal assault, giving dirty looks and smirks and pressuring the umpire to make decisions gentleman like? Tennis officials don't put up with this behaviour -

Football was never called a "GENTLEMEN SPORT". Unfortunately, Cricket has been termed so. When such is the case, the players have to live up to the expectation of a Gentleman's Game and not behave like FOOTBALL players.

I think that the gesture of the Indians to call off the tour was just pathetic. Next time Australia go over there should we just go say something racist to one of your players and then have a cry because he is getting banned for it and call off the tour, its a joke. I have respect for India they are a good cricketing team and were unlucky but i think they are carrying on like idiots. To claim Ponting and Clarke didn't catch the ball is worse then them saying they caught it. I mean they are saying where cheats thats not on. Would the Indian players walk if they edged it ? No way they would stay for sure.. They knew that Symonds doesn't like to be called a monkey so for them to say it's not racist is a joke. Maybe it's not to them but for him it definately is, his not Indian remember so the word has a different meaning to him.. He has already said that he doesn't mind when his friends joke around about his race to him but when it's not his friend then its just not acceptable. And i completely agree!!