Former India head coach Greg Chappell has backed up claims by former match referee Chris Broad this week that he was once pressured to be "lenient" towards India for an over-rate offence.
Broad revealed in an interview with The Telegraph this week that he once received a phone call during a match he was officiating in, asking him to "be lenient and find some time" to avoid India being fined for a slow over rate.
After finding some time in that game, Broad said that he phoned back when India were behind the over rate in the following game, after Sourav Ganguly "didn't listen" to warnings to hurry up. On that occasion Broad said he was told to "just do him [Ganguly]". Broad did not reveal who the phone calls were from.
ALSO READ: Chris Broad – I was told not to punish India for slow over-rate
Chappell: Dalmiya offered to overturn Ganguly's ban
Speaking to the Sydney Morning Herald, Chappell – who coached India from 2005 to 2007 – has alleged that former ICC and BCCI president Jagmohan Dalmiya made an offer to overturn a ban on Ganguly shortly after the incidents alleged by Broad. “Dalmiya offered to have his suspension reduced so that he [Ganguly] could go to Sri Lanka at the start of my tenure,” said Chappell. “I said no, I don’t want to rort the system, he has to do his time. Dalmiya seemed OK for him to miss.”
Ganguly was fined by Broad for a slow over rate in the third ODI between India and Pakistan in 2005. He received a six-month ban, which was reduced to four games on appeal, for a further offence in that series. Chappell was appointed in May 2005, shortly before Ganguly was banned for two matches for his second over-rate offence within 12 months.
Dalmiya died in 2015, having served as ICC president from 1997-2000, and BCCI president from 2001 to 2004. He continued to be a powerful figure on the board for several years after his tenure as BCCI president ended.
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