- By Namrata Vijay
- Sat, 13 Jul 2024 04:16 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
India's veteran spinner R Ashwin reminisced about how MS Dhoni got mad at S Sreesanth in one of the white ball series against South Africa in 2010. In his autobiography, 'I Have The Streets- A Kutty Cricket Story', Ashwin talks about a rare incident in the series against South Africa. Dhoni, who is known for his calm nature got mad at Sreesanth and that he was so angry that he even asked the pacer to leave the tour mid-way and go back to India.
The incident happened in an ODI match in Port Elizabeth, where both Ashwin and Sreesanth were not included in the playing XI. Ashwin, who bought drinks for the whole team witnessed Dhoni's wrath towards Sreesanth. The former Indian skipper was really angry with Sreesanth as he was spending time with other reserve players. The situation went from bad to worse as Dhoni even asked their team manager Ranjit Biwal to inform Sreesanth about the leaving the tour midway and going back to India.
MS Dhoni's untold story
"I take water. MS drinks. Two overs later, I take more. He drinks more. Then again. I have carried more water for MS than anyone else. When I go in for the drink break, MS asks, 'Where is Sree?' "It is possibly the most neutral way of asking a question. It is also the MS way. You just can't make out why he is asking. I don't know what to tell him because I don't know what it might lead to. MS insists on finding out. I tell him Sree is upstairs in the dressing room. He tells me to tell Sree he has to come down and sit with the other reserves. Anyway, on the way back from the drinks break, I am wondering how, while keeping wicket in an international match, MS even noticed that Sree was not sitting downstairs. I go back and tell M. Vijay, who is in his cooling glasses with his feet up on another chair," R Ashwin had written in his book, 'I Have The Streets-A Kutty Cricket Story.
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'Hey, Monk, MS asked Sree to come down." Monk tells me, 'Hey, you go and tell him. Don't expect me to do that.' "......I go into the changing room and I tell him, 'Sree, MS wants you to come down.' 'Why? You can't carry water?' responds Sreesanth. "I tell him I didn't say anything. He said he wants you to come down. He said the reserves should be together for the game. Sree says, 'Okay, you go. I will come.' "I return to my drink duties. The next time I have to go with a helmet," he added.
Why was Dhoni angry at Sreesanth?
"Where is Sree? What is he doing?" The former Indian captain asks him angrily. "I tell him he is getting a massage. MS doesn't say anything. In the next over, he calls me to return the helmet. He is calm now. While giving me the helmet, he says, 'Do one thing. Go to Ranjib sir. Tell him Sree is not interested in being here. Ask him to book his ticket for tomorrow so he can go back to India. I am stunned. I'm not sure what to say. I am just staring at his face. MS goes, 'What happened? You don't understand English either now?," Ashwin said.
"Sree quickly gets up and gets dressed. Not only that, but now he assumes the drinks duties. The next time MS needs a drink, Sree makes sure he charges out. Instead of taking the drink from him, MS motions for me to come over. 'Did you tell Ranjib sir or not?' he asks me. "MS and Sree sort it out later, but during that period I am caught in a situation in which I would ideally be laughing but am too scared to do so," he further said.
Ashwin realised that Dhoni's disciplinary approach had an instant effect on Sreesanth, who left his seat ands continued his water carrying duties.