Australia captain Ricky Ponting [Images] on Monday said no Indian or Australian player has made "a big deal" about the alleged incident in which Andrew Symonds [Images] is said to have received racist taunts from spectators at Vadodara.

"I don't think Andrew Symonds made too much about the incident. It was not him but the match referee who brought up the issue. Symonds has dealt with it in the most sensible and mature way," Ponting said.

• Symonds says racist abuse fired him up for win

Ponting, who was at a function where he was appointed brand ambassador for a lubricant brand, said the alleged racial abuse issue was highlighted by Indian media.

When pointed out that Australians players had been penalised in the past for racism, Ponting said, "Australians found guilty in the past have been penalised. What we would like is to have racism totally eradicated from all sporting events."

Symonds allegedly received racial taunts while he was fielding during the fifth one-dayer at Vadodara. The Australian team said they would not lodge a formal complaint.

Australia has already clinched the series and will play the seventh and final ODI in Mumbai on Wednesday.

Fast bowler Brett Lee [Images] echoed his captain's words and said there is no "ill feeling" between the teams.

"The relationship we have with the present Indian cricket team is better than ever before. There have been no problems in the past and I hope there will be none in the future," Lee said at the function.

"We can't control what happens off the field (while we are playing)," Lee said.

He said players from both teams are great friends off the field and have respect for each other.

"It is all about being competitive on the field. There is a fine line which we know is not to be crossed and we have not crossed it," he said.

Lee also said that despite having won the series there would be no quarter given to the Indian team in the last match and the Aussies would play like it was the first match of the series.

He added that his team is looking forward to the Indian tour of Australia.

Asked about whether cricket is as popular in Australia as other sports, Ponting replied that it is the number one sport there.

"It is difficult to compare cricket in India with that in Australia," he said, adding there are many other sports, like rugby, which are popular in his country.

Ponting said cricket is big business in Australia and the recent successes of the team helped boost its popularity but it is hard to compare with the scene in India, the "Mecca of cricket."