When Chris Broad was asked for his autograph at Mohali during the first Test of the current series between India and Pakistan, he replied to the young boy: "You don't know who I am, do you?"

It's true that such a generation would not remember the former left-handed opener as someone who helped England claim their last Ashes victory 18 years ago with three centuries. Broad would accept he's now the man with the International Cricket Council logo on his shirt front, more famous for his hardline attitude as a referee upholding the game's laws, especially those covering suspect bowling actions.

Having already reported Sri Lanka's Muttiah Muralitharan for bowling the now infamous 'doosra', or the off-spin bowler's leg-break, Broad meted out the same treatment to India's Harbhajan Singh in December. And no sooner had Harbhajan's action been cleared by the ICC than Broad reported him again for the same reason during his comeback Test last week.

Whatever the opinion of the doosra, which former Pakistan captain Mushtaq Mohammed says cannot be bowled legitimately, and whatever your allegiance or bias, one cannot deny Broad's courage in making a stand.

It would be easy, as other referees have shown in the past, to live the five-star life, play golf and avoid controversy to keep what may be perceived as a cushy number. "I sent a text to my (21-year-old) daughter to tell her what was happening [with Harbhajan] last week," said Broad, 47, who has just received a new two-year contract from the ICC. "She texted back: 'You don't like the easy life, do you?'

"I would be lying if I said I don't think 'do I need the hassle?' but the ICC have given me a Code of Conduct to act by. I'm not in it for the limelight but I certainly won't shy away from decisions that I have to make."

It's interesting, almost amusing, that Broad is now one of cricket's guardians of discipline. His Ashes success apart, the moments he is best remembered for are swatting his stumps with his bat after being dismissed at Sydney in 1988 and for refusing to walk after being given out caught behind in Lahore in 1987. He said he would have acted the same way even if there had been a match referee present.

"I was passionate about my cricket," Broad said. "Iqbal Qasim was bowling and I played for the turn and missed the ball by some way and the umpire gave me out almost before the appeal had started. Goochie strolled down and said, 'I think you should go, Broady'." His stump-smashing came out of frustration for allowing occasional seamer Steve Waugh to bowl him after he had scored 139 in the drawn Bicentenary Test.

"Interestingly," Broad added, "Virender Sehwag almost did the same in Calcutta last week, but he just missed his stumps. I thought about my incident and I don't know how I would have dealt with him."

Broad struggled to find his path after retirement, flirting with broadcasting and also a printing business in Nottingham and an off-licence in Bristol. He said he was no broadcaster, while both businesses lost money.

The ICC role was his lucky break after the England board recommended him. He always wanted to stay involved in cricket, even if he'll never again sample the highs of Australia 1986-87.

"I had never felt stress playing sport," Broad said, in his plush, wooden-floored Bangalore hotel room. "I don't understand people in sport who say they are stressed." Still, the growing contempt for his refereeing on the sub-continent following his treatment of Murali, Harbhajan and previously Pakistan's Shabbir Ahmed, may invite a little stress. A column in Mumbai's Mid-Day newspaper sarcastically called Broad "holier than thou" and inevitably referred to his disciplinary slip-ups as a player.

Broad correctly points out it's not just him who takes a stance, as both on-field umpires also identified bowling action illegalities. The ICC may have to convene another committee meeting in Dubai to conclude the fate of the doosra, but for now it is in the hands of the likes of Broad. Incidentally, he is a fan of the delivery.