Pawar maintains pull-out threat is 'real'

The threat of India pulling out of the cricket tour of Australia is still very 'real' with BCCI President Sharad Pawar saying that such an option could be considered if the ICC does not lift the three-Test ban on Harbhajan Singh.Although discreet in his response to whether the tour was in danger of being terminated after the ICC said that the hearing into Harbhajan's appeal against the ban will take long, Pawar said options were open."Let's see what happens, but allegations of racism against a member of our cricket team are not acceptable.Pawar confirmed that he has been empowered by the Board to decide on the matter."That is true but I will only use the power in support of Harbhajan for the rest of the country," he said."There will be an committee hearing. We are confident that in the hearing he will be cleared," he added.