'ICC is highly political' — Chris Broad alleges he was pressured to favour India as ICC match referee

Divy Dubey

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'ICC is highly political' — Chris Broad alleges he was pressured to favour India as ICC match referee image

Former ICC match referee Chris Broad has made a startling revelation about facing pressure to go easy on India during his time as a match official.

In an interview with The Telegraph, Broad recalled being asked to "be lenient" over a slow over-rate offence in one of India's matches — an incident he said reflected the growing political influence in international cricket.

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The former England opener, who served as ICC referee for over two decades, claimed that officiating had become increasingly political, especially with India's expanding power in the sport.

Chris Broad alleges he was told to 'be lenient' towards India

Broad said he once received a call during a match urging him to overlook India's slow over-rate when they were three or four overs short of the required pace.

"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," Broad told The Telegraph.

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He said that despite warnings, India repeated the offence in the next game, and then-captain Sourav Ganguly ignored his reminders to speed up play.

"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'," Broad added.

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Broad on ICC politics and India's growing power

Broad, who officiated in 123 Tests before retiring earlier this year, said the role of ICC referees has become far more political than before. He credited former ICC umpires manager Vince van der Bijl for maintaining balance but felt the system weakened after his exit.

"India got all the money and have now taken over the ICC.. I'm pleased I'm not around because it's a much more political position now than it ever has been," Broad said.

Broad's comments have reignited debate about the ICC's internal power dynamics and how much influence top cricketing nations wield behind the scenes.

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Contributing Writer