MS Dhoni only wanted clarity after the no-ball controversy, says CSK head coach Stephen Fleming

Chennai Super Kings (CSK) won yesterday’s match against Rajasthan Royals (RR) by three wickets at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur. However, the game was a witness to a minor controversy in the last over bowled by Ben Stokes. In the fourth ball of the over, with eight runs needed off three balls, Stokes bowled a full toss and umpire Ulhas Gandhe signalled it a no-ball.

However, Bruce Oxenford, standing at square-leg said that it wasn’t and the decision had to be retracted. Ravindra Jadeja got into a heated argument with the on-field umpires thereafter. Then it was the time for MS Dhoni to take charge. The 37-year-old, who scored a match-winning half-century, later rushed on to the park in an animated manner and had a discussion with the umpires.

He was clearly not happy with the umpires changing their decision. Stokes tried to calm the CSK captain down, but all in vain. In the end, CSK was only given two runs off that delivery. Subsequently, the Jharkhand-born cricketer was criticized for his actions.

He was also slapped with 50 per cent fine for breaching IPL’s Code of Conduct. Dhoni accepted the sanction. In the meantime, Stephen Fleming, the head coach of CSK, came out in support of MS Dhoni, saying that he wanted nothing, but clarity on the matter.

He was certainly fired up about the way the decision was handled

“Our understanding was that the umpire at the bowler’s end had called the no-ball and then there was confusion around whether it was a no ball or not. MS was after some clarity and it didn’t seem to be coming. So, he took the opportunity to go out in there and discuss it with the umpires. That’s how I saw it and that’s how I discussed it with him afterwards,” Fleming was quoted as saying in India Today.

“He only just wanted clarity. The rights and wrongs will be discussed by everybody, including Mahi (Dhoni), I’m sure. But, I think, it’ll be a discussion for the umpires afterwards and I am a watcher as you guys are, for now,” the former New Zealand cricketer added.

“But he was certainly fired up about the way the decision was handled and why it was overturned or if it was overturned. So, there was a lack of clarity, obviously, for him and he wanted to get it clarified at that key moment. It’s unusual but he’s usually pretty calculated. It’ll be something he will be questioned about for sure, for a long time,” he mentioned.

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