Delhi Capitals captain Rishabh Pant’s decision to send assistant coach Pravin Amre onto the field to confront the umpires over a no-ball decision in the final over of the IPL 2022 match against Rajasthan Royals rekindled memories of former Chennai Super Kings captain MS Dhoni storming onto the pitch and arguing with the umpires over a similar fiasco in the 2019 edition of Indian Premier League.

Notably, Pant called back his batters after the umpires did not award a possible no-ball in the dramatic final over of their IPL match against Rajasthan Royals. Tempers flared up as Jos Buttler, who was fielding near the boundary, exchanged words with Pant before Pravin Amre stormed onto the pitch.

MS DHONI FIASCO

Like Pravin Amre, MS Dhoni had stunned the cricket fraternity by walking out to confront the umpires over a no-ball call during the CSK vs RR game in IPL 2019. Notably, CSK and RR were involved in a tense final over finish wherein Chennai needed 18 runs in the final to seal a win in Jaipur.

Ben Stokes, who was bowling the final over for Rajasthan, conceded a six off the first ball to Ravindra Jadeja but got half-centurion MS Dhoni out with a yorker. With 8 needed off 3, Stokes bowled a full-toss after which the on-field umpire appeared to raise his hand to signal a no-ball but did not call it in the end.

A seemingly miffed Dhoni walked out to the middle to have an argument with the umpires that created a stir in the cricket fraternity. Dhoni’s CSK teammate Mitchell Santner, in interaction with sports presenter Rupha Ramani, said the skipper apologised immediately and that he knew he was not allowed to do that.

AMRE DOES A DHONI

On Friday, Pravin Amre did a Dhoni by storming onto the field after the umpire did not check for a possible no-ball with the third umpire.

It all transpired in the final over of the DC vs RR match. Rovman Powell hit three successive sixes from the first three deliveries off Obed McCoy. DC needed another 18 more from the final three deliveries.

At this juncture, Kuldeep, who was at the non-striker’s end, gestured to the umpires demanding that the last delivery be checked for a possible no-ball on height. Powell joined in the discussion with the umpires too, but the officials stood their ground, saying the delivery was legal.

Pant then gestured to Powell and Kuldeep to walk out though assistant coach Shane Watson tried to reason with him. The match eventually resumed after a long delay and DC fell short by 15 runs.