Mahendra Singh Dhoni, popularly known as MS Dhoni, is a former Indian cricketer and captain of the Indian cricket team. He is considered one of the greatest Indian cricket captains of all time, having led the team to numerous victories in both domestic and international cricket. Although Dhoni has been known as Captain Cool for his chilled leadership skills, barely seeing him furious on players, he has also been involved in several controversies throughout his career, which have attracted media attention and sparked debates among fans and critics alike.
In this article, we will take a look at three times when everyone’s favourite MS Dhoni was involved in controversies. So let’s get started:
3 times when MS Dhoni was involved in controversies
MS Dhoni’s Conflict of Interest Controversy with Rhtiti Sports Management Company
In 2013, Indian cricket captain MS Dhoni had purchased stakes in Rhiti Sports, a sports management company that represents various athletes. Among the clients managed by Rhiti Sports were cricketers Suresh Raina and Ravindra Jadeja. Allegedly, 15% of the earnings made by Raina and Jadeja were transferred to Dhoni, which raised concerns about a potential conflict of interest by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) management, as per the Lodha Committee report.
The BCCI deemed this arrangement as inappropriate, and it was later reported that Dhoni was forced to sell his shares in the company to avoid any such conflict. The controversy surrounding Dhoni’s involvement with Rhiti Sports Management Company highlighted the need for greater transparency and stricter guidelines to prevent conflicts of interest in Indian cricket.
The Clash on the Pitch: Dhoni and Rahman Incident
In 2015, during an India vs Bangladesh match, a controversial incident occurred involving MS Dhoni and Bangladeshi bowler Mustafizur Rahman. While Dhoni was running for a single, Rahman came in his way deliberately, resulting in a clash in the middle of the pitch. In trying to avoid the collision, Dhoni’s elbow was seen to have hit Rahman. The media sensationalized the incident, and Dhoni was later fined 75% of the match fee by the match referee.
IPL Spot-fixing Scandal
The IPL spot-fixing scandal of 2013 rocked the cricketing world and was one of the major sporting scandals in India. It was alleged that some players from two teams, the Chennai Super Kings and Rajasthan Royals, were involved in the incident. Later, during the investigation, it was found that bookies were involved and huge bets were placed on players.
The investigation into the scandal revealed that the son-in-law of CSK owner N. Srinivasan, Gurunath Meiyappan, was involved. MS Dhoni’s name also appeared in the controversy, and even his wife, Sakshi Dhoni, was alleged to be involved through her friend and associate Vindu Dara Singh. The involvement of two teams and their owners led to severe consequences.
After a proper investigation, both teams and their owners were found guilty, and the Rajasthan Royals and Chennai Super Kings were banned from the IPL for two seasons. The most surprising aspect of the scandal was MS Dhoni’s silence throughout the controversy. Later, in the documentary on Hotstar named “The Roar of the Lion” based on CSK, MS Dhoni opened up about that infamous incident and revealed his thoughts and emotions surrounding the scandal.
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