Condom ad during India vs England T20 match sparks debate: World Cup winner says, ‘Children are watching’

A condom advertisement during the India vs England T20 match at Old Trafford has sparked significant debate online. Former cricketer Kirti Azad has posted about it.

His post, directed at the BCCI, has gone viral, rapidly garnering over 2.71 lakh views. He questioned whether adult advertisements were appropriate during family viewing of cricket.

“Children are watching live the international T20 match between India versus England being played at Old Trafford. Isn’t it a shame that an adult advertisement of Durex comes on the screen. BCCI to take note (sic),” Kirti Azad wrote.

The World Cup winner’s post drew over 600 comments, more than 350 reposts and 2,200 likes in total. The debate that followed reflected a sharp divide in public opinion.

Several users agreed with Azad’s concern about the advertisement’s timing. One user described the situation as “disgusting” for family audiences watching together.

“It’s disgusting to see such ads when the whole family is watching a match, sitting together.. F**k off, Durex,” the user wrote.

Another user simply agreed and added that the advertisement was poorly made. Some respondents criticised the BCCI for allowing such advertising during cricket broadcasts.

However, a significant portion of the responses strongly pushed back against Azad’s position. Multiple users have argued that condom advertisements serve a vital public health purpose.

One user points out that condoms are already included in the Class 10 NCERT syllabus. They argue that adolescents who have reached puberty should be aware of contraception. Another user bluntly called Azad’s complaint ‘a basic sex education’ issue, rather than a moral one.

One user argues that India’s widespread attitude toward such topics contributes to poor sex education. Their comment, reaching 1,400 views, argued that treating sex as taboo is the real problem.

“Because of your mentality, which is the majority of Indians…. India lacks sex education, and sex is taboo in today’s modern world,” the user wrote.

Some responses took aim directly at Azad’s political credibility. Kirti Azad, who was a part of India’s 1983 World Cup squad, is a TMC MLA who has recently expressed solidarity with Mamata Banerjee.

One user pointedly referenced his conduct during parliamentary proceedings on television. They drew a comparison between the Durex advertisement and Azad allegedly being filmed vaping on national television. Another user questioned his fitness to raise concerns about public morality, given his own conduct.

Another user accused Azad of watching the match purely to find things to criticise.

“You don’t want to watch the match. You sit in front of the TV with one intention: ‘What can I note down to criticise BCCI?’ Condoms are a part of a child’s syllabus. What children should avoid is any contact with you and your negative thoughts, Mr. Sour grapes,” the user commented.

The BCCI’s contractual bans are clearly defined. Clause 8.6(B) explicitly prohibits political or religious advertisements during live match transmissions.

A political party’s advertisement was previously pulled during an IPL season under this rule. The BCCI also tightly regulates ambush marketing by competing brands against its tier-1 sponsors.

Government bodies can also intervene directly through the BCCI. The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting issues directives regarding illegal betting apps and surrogate tobacco advertisements.

The BCCI then passes these restrictions down to streaming platforms. Beyond absolute bans, broadcasters independently control day-to-day commercial decisions.