Concussion sub row: ICC match referee Chris Broad sees 'bias and corruption'

The England team management has moved on from the concussion controversy, but the issue persists. Sunil Gavaskar and prominent English voices have weighed in on the matter, with Chris Broad criticizing the ICC's handling.

Chris Broad, a former England opener and ICC match referee, expressed his concerns on X, stating that the ICC is returning to the 'bad old days' of bias and corruption. He advocated for only neutral match referees, saying that an Indian Match Referee allowing an Indian replacement is unacceptable.

Broad's comments were made despite his recent involvement as a match referee in T20 games between England and Pakistan in May 2024. Michael Vaughan and Kevin Pietersen also weighed in, with Vaughan sarcastically commenting on Harshit Rana's batting style and Pietersen stating that the concussion sub was not a like-for-like replacement.

Sunil Gavaskar came down heavily on the Indian team management, writing in his column that allowing a concussion substitute was not correct, even if the player was not concussed. He argued that the replacement was not a like-for-like replacement and that the Indian team's choice of replacement was unfair.

The England coach Brendon McCullum was reportedly furious about the Indian team's choice of replacement, but the England team spokesman said they have moved on. The issue is expected to attract more traction with Dube included in the playing XI at the Wankhede.