I got a phone call saying to be lenient towards India: Former match referee Chris Broad

Former England cricketer and ex-match referee Chris Broad has made a stunning statement against the International Cricket Council (ICC) for showing leniency towards India during his time as a referee. 

Advertisment

Delving into the details, Senior Broad has stated that he was asked to show leniency to India’s over-rate offences at a point in time in his career as a referee. While he was first appointed as a referee in 2003, his contract ended in 2024.

“India were three, four overs down at the end of a game so it constituted a fine. I got a phone call saying, ‘be lenient, find some time because it’s India’. And it’s like, right, OK. So we had to find some time, brought it down below the threshold. The very next game, exactly the same thing happened. He [Sourav Ganguly] didn’t listen to any of the hurry-ups and so I phoned and said, ‘what do you want me to do now?’ and I was told ‘just do him’. So there were politics involved, right from the start. A lot of the guys now are either politically more savvy or just keeping the head below the parapet. I don’t know,” Broad told in an interview with The Telegraph. 

Chris’ last international game came in a Test in Colombo in February 2024 after officiating 622 international games across formats. He also felt that the ICC’s integrity had reduced over the years.

“I think we were supported by Vince van der Bijl (ICC umpires manager) while he was in position because he came from a cricketing background but, once he left, the management became a lot weaker. India got all the money and have now taken over the ICC so in many ways. I’m pleased I’m not around because it’s a much more political position now than it ever has been,” he concluded.

Stay updated with the latest cricket news, match insights, and exclusive updates at Sky247 India and download the Sky247 app to start betting today!