Former players Nasser Hussain and Glenn McGrath have lambasted International Cricket Council for bowing down to Board of Control for Cricket in India and appeasing them on every count to save the tour.
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Hussain said ICC's sacking of Steve Bucknor and putting Brad Hogg on dock on charges of hurling abusive language on Anil Kumble and Co. during the controversy-ridden Sydney Test was kowtowing to the financial clout of BCCI.
According to McGrath, it was "ridiculous" to replace the umpire just because he had a bad game and the former pacer also called on the ICC to show some leadership instead of bowing down to the Indian board.
"I think it is sad and disappointing that it gets to the stage where you have a bad game and they are calling for your head," McGrath was quoted saying by The Age.
"What is there, eight international umpires on the panel? And if a couple of teams aren't happy with umpires then all of a sudden you have got one to choose from," he said.
ICC chief executive Malcolm Speed has made it clear that the governing body took the 'practical step" just to take tension out of the series and let players focus on cricket.
He also refused to call it a triumph for the BCCI.
McGrath, however, felt otherwise.
"I think that (it) is ridiculous, that is why we have the ICC to control things rather than individual countries," he said.
Hussain said he sympathised with India for having to lose the Sydney Test because of umpiring blunders but was critical of India having asked ICC to sack Bucknor.
"I have a whole heap of sympathy for what happened to India during the second Test in Sydney. The umpiring was diabolical and the big decisions that went against them almost certainly cost them a match they could have won.
"India lose my sympathy for the way they have seemingly dictated who umpires their next Test. You simply cannot do that, Hussain wrote in his column in Daily Mail.
"By all means put in a report saying that you did not think a certain umpire had a good game and highlight what he got wrong, but for India to demand that Steve Bucknor be replaced for the third Test in Perth, and for the ICC to agree to it, has terrible implications for the game, " he wrote.
"Why have the ICC decided to get tough now? Is it to appease the financial clout of India or is it because they have finally decided to get tough on sledging?" he asked.
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