The International Cricket Council on Tuesday sought to defuse a crisis between two of the sport’s most powerful nations by replacing a controversial umpire and confirming that an Indian cricketer at the centre of racial abuse allegations can continue playing pending the outcome of an appeal.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) welcomed the decision to drop Steve Bucknor, a West Indian umpire accused of poor decisions, from the next Test match between India and Australia which starts in Perth next week.