In a combative, straight from the shoulder signed column published in the Times, London, India captain Anil Kumble puts the onus for the ongoing controversy squarely on Australia.
Significantly, he starts off not with the issue of Harbhajan Singh's alleged racist remarks, but with the spirit in which the game was played.
Pointing out that Australia's captain-in-waiting Michael Clarke stood after under-edging a cut to first slip, and then claimed a catch that was not 100 per cent clean, Kumble talks of the pre-series agreement he had entered into with his opposite number:
"We had decided that in the case of a disputed catch we would take the word of the fielder concerned, if he was certain. But that agreement was based on the premise that, come what may, whatever the situation, the fielder concerned would be completely straight on what happened. Now, there will obviously be a big question mark about that in future matches."
The agreement, Kumble says without equivocation, will have to be revisited. "I can tell you that that sort of behaviour will play a big role in my decision whether to continue the agreement that Ricky and I had made before the series began."
On the Harbhajan issue, Kumble points out that he cannot go into detail on what happened during the inquiry chaired by match referee Mike Procter, but points out that the fact India has appealed Procter's decision should tell its own story.
The larger issue, Kumble points out, is that the controversy could have been defused, with a bit of give and take.
"On the other events, I can only say that I spoke to Ricky that day [of the row between Harbhajan Singh and Andrew Symonds] and having heard from Bhajji and Sachin Tendulkar before that, I was convinced that there had neither been any racist remark made, nor intended. I asked Bhajji why he started it and he said he hadn't; Symonds did and goaded him, so he responded. But he insisted he made no racist comment," Kumble writes.
"Ricky, meanwhile, was just not willing to listen, nor see my point. When I offered to apologise as Bhajji's skipper, it was only to smooth things over, at no stage did I admit that he had made a racist remark; in fact, I said he had not.
"Unfortunately, these days, when someone apologises, it is seen as either a sign of weakness or an admission of guilt. I am neither unnerved nor are we guilty. In the larger interests of the game, if an apology could help to build bridges and smooth things over, then it is better made than left unsaid because of egos."
Kumble's contention is that a charge as serious as racism cannot be made lightly.
"In my book, it's really important that when somebody is accused of being a racist, whoever that someone is, the charge is not made lightly, is not followed up just to prove a point and is not deemed as proven unless there is absolute evidence. Unfortunately this did not happen in Bhajji's case."
Interestingly, Kumble does not use the incidents in Sydney to excuse his team's defeat, but underlines the batting failure in the second innings:
"Still, we should have at least tried for a draw despite that. We really need to get our batting in order. Too often, of late, we've struggled batting in our second innings to save a game. Here, we were three down at tea and then lost seven in a row. Yes, the rub of the green went against us, but we still should have stuck it out."
The game should, the Indian captain says, go on in the spirit in which it is intended to be played - and points out that for this to happen, both sides need to cooperate. "One of the reasons I have tried to put the game and other things in perspective is to ensure that we move on and play good cricket. I'll do my best but it takes two to tango and ensure that things move smoothly. I can only hope it happens."
