Dhoni stirs the pot

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INDIA Captain Mahendra Dhoni has re-ignited the feud with Australia by accusing counterpart Ricky Ponting of "harsh" language during Friday's one-dayer in Hyderabad. More... Dhoni stirs the pot By Tom Wald October 06, 2007 INDIA Captain Mahendra Dhoni has re-ignited the feud with Australia by accusing counterpart Ricky Ponting of "harsh" language during Friday's one-dayer in Hyderabad. The match at the Rajiv Gandhi Stadium had looked like a picnic in terms of player behaviour compared to Tuesday's bad-tempered clash in Cochin. But Dhoni complained to the umpire about the language used by Ponting and other Australian players while he was batting. “We discussed with the referee about not using harsh words, but he (Ponting) did, and a couple of their players did,'' Dhoni said. He refused to disclose what was said in the middle. Dhoni's revelations follow the captains being warned by match officials not to have a repeat of the fiery encounters from the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium. Both sides appeared to have been on their best behaviour in Hyderabad and Dhoni's comments will be sure to aggravate the Australians who lead the best of seven series 2-0. Both sides fly to Chandigarh today before the fourth game on Monday starting at 9am (1330 AEST). This latest exchange will only enhance the chances of a summer of discontent between the sides in Australia. The Indians have talked up their tough new aggressive approach following their Twenty20 world championship triumph in South Africa last month. The problem is by doing so it makes comments such as Dhoni's and Harbhajan Singh's mid-week spray in the press look like sour grapes following their comprehensive defeats. Andrew Symonds who was involved in a series of run-ins with firebrand Shantha Sreesanth in Cochin believed both sides had toned down the aggression in Hyderabad. “Both teams realised that things might have got a bit out of hand the other day and both teams chose to play completely within the rules,'' Symonds said. Dhoni's comments came after Ponting's post-match press conference for Australia's 47-run win. The skipper had a bone to pick but it was with the sport's rulemakers over the new rule that makes a change of ball mandatory after 35 overs of a 50-over innings. “There was a very good moment in the game today, which really needs to be explored and looked at closely,'' Ponting said. “India got to change their ball to a newer, harder ball after 27 overs. They actually got to change the ball at 27 overs and then at 35 overs so they got a newer harder ball in eight more overs of the game and in those conditions that is a massive disadvantage to us. “They got a huge advantage in being able to do that. It is fine for people to come up with these rules. We are actually trialing these things in international cricket.'' Ponting wanted new rules to be tested at lower levels before being thrown into the international arena. “I would like to see them be used somewhere else first,'' he said. “Something like that can really determine the outcome of the game, it might be something little like that can have a major influence on the game. “Common sense to me would have said if they get a new ball early then they should change their second one eight overs later at 43 overs.''

[King]

What the heck were you doing when Ponting was abusing Mr.Dhoni??? Running up to the umpire to intervene and help you? Stupid Dhoni. I just can't stand this fella, he is a sissy. Dhoni in the first match gave Haddin a cool hi-fi and Haddin looked at Dhoni like a pest when he did that. Last match Dhoni runs to the umpire every time an Aussie player talked to him. This is the kind of cricket the Indian cricket journos wanted India to play and Dhoni is dancing to that tune. This kind of cricket fits a school game not international cricket where you don't given an inch. I can't stand it when a captain of the side sets up this kind of example.:devil_smile:

[zubinpepsi]

reallly this is very childish.. be a man n give them back instead of going to the umpire.. Aussies have clearly made a fool out of the indian team... we dont know how to sledge and we do it so pathetically tht everyone laughs at us... shi.tt .. we need someone like gangulyyyy.. shame on the indian team..

[Rahul Khan]

the whole matter will be resolved when we will win thoroughly...their mouths will get shut as soon as we beat them...!

[Gaurav]

Aus owned us! Damage control time :wilted_rose:

[Chandan]

Just see how the Australian media has reported this matter: Ponting under fire from Dhoni Alex Brown October 7, 2007 AdvertisementAdvertisement ATTEMPTS to ease the tensions between the Australian and Indian cricketers appear to have failed, with home skipper Mahendra Dhoni accusing his opposite number, Ricky Ponting, of "harsh" language and India's cricket manager, Lalchand Rajput, defending Harbhajan Singh's withering attack on the tourists earlier in the week. Further fuelling the negative feeling surrounding this series was an attack on the Australian team bus in the aftermath of the visitors' victory in the third one-day international in Hyderabad on Friday. A rock was hurled through the window of the bus from the side of the road. No players or staff were injured, but shards of glass entered the cabin and it rattled all those on board. Local police are investigating the matter. From behind the boundary rope, it seemed the stern address delivered by match referee Chris Board after the Cochin one-day international had worked. The confrontational showdowns of last Tuesday were not evident, and Harbhajan and Shantha Sreesanth appeared far less demonstrative in the middle during Australia's 47-run victory. But according to Dhoni, the bad blood still exists. India's captain said despite meeting with Broad to discuss the matter of offensive language, Ponting had again transgressed. "We discussed with the referee about not using harsh words, but he (Ponting) did, and a couple of their players did," Dhoni said. The Indian skipper declined to divulge the exact words supposedly used by Ponting, although local reports suggested they were directed at Sreesanth. Dhoni's comments followed those of Rajput, India's coach for this limited-overs series, who was staunch in his support of Harbhajan's criticisms of the Australian team. Harbhajan last week accused the Australians of using vulgar language, describing them as "big heads" and "bad losers". Rajput, for his part, said he stood firmly behind his controversial spinner. "If somebody abuses you in a personal way, you don't just take that," Rajput said. "It was right to retaliate. I don't think what he did was bad at all, and I think most people would understand it. The Australians have been dominating for a long time, and they are taken aback if somebody gives it back to them, and that was what happened. Controlled aggression is fine, but it can't go over the top." The Australians were not without their own gripes after the Hyderabad match. Ponting was incensed that the Australians twice had to change the ball — first in the 28th over after the Indian batsman complained the ball had become discoloured, then in the 35th, as per the new International Cricket Council regulation — which he felt gave the home side a sizeable advantage. "Something like that could end up impacting the game in a big way," he said. "When they changed the ball eight overs earlier, they should have been given the next ball eight overs later." Ponting added that trials such as the 35-over ball replacement rule should be conducted in domestic cricket. If nothing else, the match was at least devoid of mid-pitch showdowns. According to Andrew Symonds, who duelled with Sreesanth last Tuesday: "It was a much more sportsmanlike, friendly-like game today." -------------------------------------------------- Nowhere did I read about this attack on Australian bus! Why didn't the Indian media report it? And Dhoni was merely pointing out to the umpires that Aussies were breaking the promise which they had made to the match referee!!

[beetle]

>>>>>Nowhere did I read about this attack on Australian bus! Why didn't the Indian media report it? It must be like the bullet that just missed flintoff:wink_smile:

[siddhu]

I think Dhoni should take it like a man. i just can't imagine what will happen to these sissies when they reach Australia. If they are making statements after every match. I just can't see us competing against Aus with this attitude.

[beetle]

Oh shut up guys! First it was Dravid ...now Dhoni isn't man enough for you....:angry_smile: You should be watching free style wrestling.....

[MundaPakistani]

May be he follows certain morals and principals...may be he doesn't WANT to "give it back". So to call him a sissy just because he doesn't want to abuse is very unfair.

[Rahul Khan]

A rock has hit Australian cricket team's bus as they travelled back to their hotel after their 47-run limited-overs win over India in Hyderabad. It hit a window , causing a small hole, but noone was injured. Earlier, the allrounder Andrew Symonds hit 89 off 67 balls as Australia posted 290 for seven. Yuvraj Singh top-scored for India with 121 but Australia restricted the hosts to 243 from 47.3 overs. Australia has a 2-0 lead after the first game was a wash-out. Copyright ? 2007 Radio New Zealand