PRETORIA (Reuters)
Indian captain Sourav Ganguly has hit back at comments made by his Australian counterpart Steve Waugh following Sachin Tendulkar's suspended one-match ban for ball tampering against South Africa.

"Steve Waugh needs to shut up and concentrate on Australia," an angry Ganguly said on Thursday.

On Wednesday, Waugh backed the International Cricket Council (ICC) after the governing body handed Tendulkar the ban for altering the state of the ball during the second Test against South Africa.

"If he's picked the seam, then he's got to pay the penalty like everyone else," Waugh told a news conference in Hobart ahead of Thursday's second Test against New Zealand.

"There shouldn't be any favours just because of your reputation or the way you play the game. I think it's been going on too long, the ball tampering, affecting the state of the ball."

Tendulkar, widely regarded as the world's leading batsman and revered in India, was also fined 75 percent of his match fee by match referee Mike Denness. Former England captain Denness ruled Tendulkar had brought the game into disrepute by "acting on the ball" on the third day of the Test.

"Everyone knows how you are supposed to play, you are not supposed to tamper with the ball, and if they do that they will face the consequences," Waugh said.

The decision and the subsequent fines and bannings of five other players for excessive appealing have placed India's tour in jeopardy amid calls to boycott the final Test and return home unless Denness is relieved of his duties.

But the International Cricket Council (ICC) has supported his appointment and retained Denness for the third Test.

Indian coach John Wright was also unhappy with Waugh's comments on Thursday. "It does seem unusual that players involved here are not allowed to comment," Wright said. "Yet players who are still playing under the jurisdiction of the ICC can make their own comments about a particular incident. There doesn't seem to be transparency from that respect."

Neither Ganguly nor Wright could comment on news that the India tour of South Africa might be called off. "I've got no idea what is happening, I've heard nothing from my board," Ganguly said before India's final practice for the third Test.

"I don't want to jump the gun because I really don't know what is happening. I'll answer all questions once we get news from the board."

Wright said: "We are going about our business of preparing for a match tomorrow and decisions are well out of our hands."

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