Fleming backs Dhoni on his altercation with umpires

Chennai Super Kings' coach Stephen Fleming on Thursday defended MS Dhoni saying that skipper wanted clarity on the delivery bowled in the last over of the inning during the match between CSK and Rajasthan Royals.

"Our understanding was that the umpire at the bowler's end had called the no-ball and then there was confusion around whether it was a no ball or not. MS was after some clarity and it didn't seem to be coming. So, he took the opportunity to go out in there and discuss it with the umpires," Fleming said during the post-match press conference.

"But he was certainly fired up about the way the decision was handled and why it was over-turned or if it was over-turned. So, there was a lack of clarity, obviously, for him and he wanted to get it clarified at that key moment," he added.

The incident took place during the ongoing Indian Premier League where CSK was competing with Rajasthan Royals. The CSK was chasing a target of 152 runs which the hosts had set. Dhoni played an impeccable knock of 58 runs but could not conclude the match as he was bowled in the last over by Ben Stokes.

Third last ball of the inning was a full-toss delivery by Stokes which umpire Ulhas Gandhe thought was a no-ball, however, umpire standing in the square-leg, Bruce Oxenford, was of the opinion that the ball was valid.

Both batsmen, Santner and Ravindra Jadeja, confronted the umpires but this confusion between umpires made Dhoni, in the dugout, furious so-much-so that he walked into the pitch and had a heated argument with the on-field umpires.

Even though umpires did not change their decision, CSK won the match by four-wicket but Dhoni, for his action, was fined 50 per cent of his match earnings.

CSK will now visit Kolkata to face Kolkata Knight Riders on April 14.