Most of the former players asked ICC to consider an age limit for the umpires and felt getting Bucknor ousted from the Perth Test was a moral victory for India.
NEW DELHI: Relieved that Steve Bucknor would not officiate in the Perth Test against Australia, former India players on Tuesday called for the outright removal of the controversial umpire from the ICC Elite Panel.
Most of the former players asked ICC to consider an age limit for the umpires and felt getting Bucknor ousted from the Perth Test was a moral victory for India.
"ICC has done a pretty good job. I don't think Bucknor will ever get an opportunity to stand in Tests. There is a process and he will be demoted," former captain Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi said.
"Bucknor also might be somewhat relieved. Should a 61-year old stand as umpire? ICC will have to look at it carefully. There is shortage of umpires and bad decisions will be given by everybody," he said.
Asked whether there was a need to review the process of recruiting umpires for the Elite Panel, Pataudi said no process could be fool-proof.
"You will always find people not fit for the job finding a way into the Elite Panel. There will be incidents like this but it has to be dealt with strongly," Pataudi said.
Legendary spinner E Prasanna felt Bucknor should opt out before he is thrown out of the panel.
"Yes, he should think of resigning. He should assess whether he is good enough to officiate in international matches," Prasanna said.
Navjot Singh Sidhu was more forthright in his view and said the Jamaican umpire was not fit for the job anymore and should be shown the door.
"Bucknor should be forced to retire because it amounts to playing with the pride and prestige of the country."
"Getting him removed was the first moral victory for India," said the cricketer-cum-politician.
Meanwhile, former middle order batsman Sandeep Patil said he would feel happy only when the ban on Harbhajan Singh too was lifted.
"I am not happy with only one decision. The nation want the ban on Harbhajan to be lifted. I also hope ICC extends an apology to BCCI, Harbhajan and all the members of the Indian team," he said.
Sidhu said India should continue with the tour only if the ban was revoked.
"The Harbhajan issue has been put on hold, which makes it a suspended sentence. If both the these issues are settled, only then India should continues with the tour," he said.
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