Match referee Chris Broad admitted that umpire Rudi Koertzen was "possibly wrong" in not referring a close stumping appeal.

The appeal in question was against Sourav Ganguly to the third umpire during the second India-Australia cricket Test in Mohali.

Koertzen had ruled in favour of Ganguly instead of referring the Aussie appeal to the third umpire even though TV replays later showed that Ganguly's foot might have been in the air when wicketkeeper Brad Haddin dislodged the bails during India's first Innings.

Ganguly, who was on 35 at that time, went on to make a hundred besides teaming up with Sachin Tendulkar to take India out of a precarious position when they were on 236 for five.

Broad admitted that the Aussie appeal should have been referred to the third umpire.

"Of course, no one likes to see umpires being criticised, me of all people. Ideally, I would have liked for him (Koertzen) to call for the third umpire. But he made his decision with what he saw, and you can't argue about that," Broad, who is overseeing the four-Test series, was quoted as saying by 'The Herald Sun'.

"The only thing you can argue about is the fact that it was possibly wrong, in hindsight. But at the time, if you look where he was standing, and the camera from behind him, you would also think he didn't lift his foot," he added in a cautious admission of Koertzen's folly.

The Australian team management has, however, refused to comment on the matter and neither does it plan to make any complaint, the report said.

Umpiring was a thorny issue during India's tour of Australia earlier this year as well and at that time the Indians were complaining of being hard-done by the on-field officials.