Kolkata: Former India captain Sourav Ganguly defended Mahendra Singh Dhoni's on-field confrontation with umpires during an IPL game, saying 'everyone is human'.
In a rare instance, Chennai Super Kings' skipper Dhoni, who was not even meant to be on the field of play, lost his cool and rushed out of the dug-out to challenge umpire Ulhas Gandhe after he flip-flopped on a no ball during the IPL encounter against Rajasthan Royals on Thursday night.
"Everyone is human. What stands out is his competitiveness. It's remarkable," was all Ganguly said when asked about the controversy.
Dhoni escaped a ban and was let off with a 50 per cent fine on his match fee for an unprecedented confrontation with the umpires but the former cricketers came down heavily on India's two-time World Cup winning captain for his act, saying he set a wrong precedent.
Meanwhile, Ganguly, serving as advisor of Delhi Capitals team, had a smile on his face after the visitors posted a seven-wicket victory over hosts Kolkata Knight Riders at the Eden Gardens here on Friday night.
"Two out of two against such a good team is outstanding. I am very satisfied," he said.
Delhi had earlier won the first-leg at home.
Ganguly added, "Everything at Eden is special. This is the best ground, the bet pitch in the country."
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Belagavi: The state cabinet under the Chairmanship of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has reportedly given its nod to permit cricket matches at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru, subject to certain conditions.
The decision is learnt to have been taken after a meeting held at the Suvarna Vidhana Soudha here on Thursday.
Reports indicate that Home Minister Dr G. Parameshwara has been directed to formulate rules along with a referendum to hold a cricket match at the Chinnaswamy Stadium.
The cabinet’s approval comes subject to conditions, considering the report of Justice D’Cunha, which was prepared after the stampede.
The June 4 stampede during the celebrations for RCB’s maiden IPL title killed 11 people, which raised serious questions over the stadium's capability to host large-scale events.
Will RCB be playing at their home ground next year?
Stating that the “state had learned from the tragedy,” Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar on Monday, December 08, dismissed the talks about shifting Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s home games out of the city.
He also said that the Chinnaswamy Stadium is the “pride of Bengaluru and Karnataka” and vowed that IPL fixtures will continue to be played there.
On Wednesday, Shivakumar met the newly elected KSCA president Venkatesh Prasad at the Circuit House in Belagavi and reiterated that cricket matches, including IPL fixtures, will not be shifted out of Bengaluru.
“We have no intention of stopping matches at Chinnaswamy Stadium, but crowd control measures and the Michael D. Cunha committee’s recommendations will be implemented in phases,” he told reporters.
Shivakumar said the government is committed to promoting cricket and supporting fans while safeguarding the state’s reputation, adding that Prasad had sought the government’s cooperation and agreed to work jointly on the issue.
