Canberra: Anil Kumble said on arrival here on Wednesday that the game was larger than individuals and hoped that the crisis emanating from the Sydney Test was a thing of the past.

The tour was suspended for two days when the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) ordered the players to remain in Sydney till the three-Test ban on Harbhajan Singh was revoked.

There were fears that the tour could be called off before the International Cricket Council (ICC) bowed to pressure and made a number of significant concessions which satisfied the BCCI for the time time being.

“Cricket is larger than individuals and I respect that… It’s important that the game moves on,” Kumble told reporters on arrival here for the tour match against ACT XI.

“The focus for us is to ensure that we get the best possible out of this game,” he said on the eve of the three-day match.

Match Referee Mike Procter found Harbhajan Singh guilty of making a racist remark at Australian allrounder Andrew Symonds and was banned for three Tests.

The Indian has denied the charges and lodged an appeal, as a result of which the off-spinner would be eligible to play the third Test beginning in Perth on January 16.

The BCCI stood by its players and suspended tour operations, demanding that the ICC clear Harbhajan. The Indian board only agreed to continue with the tour after the ICC removed West Indian umpire Steve Bucknor from the Perth Test and named Billy Bowden as his replacement. Harbhajan will be allowed to play till his appeal had been heard.

Kumble revealed that he tried to persuade his Australian counterpart to not proceed with a formal complaint against Harbhajan and suggested that the matter be resolved between the teams because he feared it could spiral into a larger issue.

“When that incident happened, I did make a request to Ricky that it should be handled, if it can be sorted out, whatever… His response was that it had already been reported.

“Having played cricket for this long, I knew such an allegation would definitely spiral into a larger issue,” Kumble said.

The leg-spinner also felt Harbhajan would be cleared of the charge.

“It is a serious charge. From what I gathered from my two teammates who were on the field (Harbhajan and Sachin Tendulkar), that remark was never made. People believe that a word was said, which was not said.

“The entire team is together on this issue and has really backed him. I am really proud of that fact and I’d like to thank the BCCI for fully backing us.

“An appeal has been made, so we are hopeful of getting the right decision… there’s a procedure which will take its time,” Kumble said.

The BCCI also patted Kumble for maintaining his dignity amid the Sydney test chaos.

“Kumble has been wonderful as captain and he presented himself in a very dignified manner in Sydney,” it said.

Reacting to ICC chief referee Ranjan Madugalle’s appointment as a “facilitator” to assist the two captains in the lead-up to the Perth Test, the India captain said: “It’s an ICC decision. We have had good relationship with everyone and I have no problem in interacting with anybody.”

About Bucknor’s removal from the Perth Test, Kumble said it was a decision taken by the ICC following a letter issued by the BCCI. “At the end of the day, if you have to ask questions to the umpires, you have to bowl to the right areas and bowl well. We hope we’ll bowl well and be able to ask questions to the umpires in Perth,” he said.

Kumble, however, refused to comment on the Brad Hogg issue, only saying that “we’ll wait till the case is heard (before the third Test)”.

The India captain also expressed a desire to meet Ponting to clear differences, insisting he didn’t hold any grudge against the Australian players.

Admitting he was upset by some of the actions of the Australian players during the second Test, Kumble made it clear that his comment that only India had played the game in the right spirit in Sydney, was meant for that match alone.

“Whatever happened was only meant for the Sydney game… I have great respect and regard for all the players who play for Australia. It’s just one of those incidents which everybody had seen. If some thought I had made a biased comment, there’s a poll (in Australia) which backed it.”

Kumble believed it was high time the captains addressed the need to maintain the game’s spirit together. “It’s important that Ricky and I sit together and address it… On the behalf of my team, I can give an assurance that we will play in the right spirit,” he said.