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[Saba Sports News] Cricket enthusiasts vividly recall the episode where MS Dhoni, in a rare display of fury, stormed onto the field during an IPL match, sparked by a dispute with the umpires. Shane Watson, the former CSK star, shared a comical insight into Dhoni’s ethos on the field.
Upon Watson’s arrival at CSK, Dhoni humorously indicated that their prospects for the ‘Fairplay’ award might dwindle with Watson on board. This comment became particularly ironic when Dhoni himself momentarily disregarded the fair play norms during a contentious IPL 2019 match against the Rajasthan Royals.
The incident unfolded in a nail-biter, with CSK needing three runs from the final three balls. A high full toss from RR’s Ben Stokes to Mitchell Santner was initially signaled a no-ball for height by umpire Ulhas Gandhe, only for the call to be reversed by his colleague, Bruce Oxenford. The confusion led to an on-field dispute, during which an incensed Dhoni entered the field to confront the umpires, a move that was against the rules. Despite the controversy, CSK clinched the game in a thrilling finish. Watson, recounting the story highlighting the irony of Dhoni’s fair play lecture against his actions in that heated moment.
“I remember the first time that I played at CSK and one of the first things MS Dhoni said to the whole group was ‘Whatever we do, we want to win the FairPlay award but now that we’ve got you Watson (Shane Watson) the chance of us winning that has significantly reduced.’ And then, that great man ended up walking onto the field in one game and I was like well…. Maybe not!,” he shared when recalling the moment.