Did Dhoni ‘Bully’ Umpire Into Changing Decision? Twitter Divided

After two-straight losses, MS Dhoni & co bounced back to register a 20-run win over Sunrisers Hyderabad in their Indian Premier League match on Tuesday, 13 October.

However, the chatter on social media wasn’t about the players’ performances but about a certain incident that took place in the penultimate over of the second innings.

Defending their total for the first time this season, Chennai Super Kings were on course for their third win in IPL 2020 when Dhoni handed the ball to Shardul Thakur. The talked-about incident took place on the third ball of this over, when umpire Paul Reiffel was about to give a wide but didn’t, after protests from skipper Dhoni and the bowler.

Umpire Dhoni Nicee🚶🚶🚶🚶
pic.twitter.com/9MNN6b2aMR

— Bunny My IcoN™ VirAAt (@pavankalyanAllu) October 13, 2020

This sparked up a debate on social media about whether Dhoni had ‘bullied’ the umpire into re-thinking his decision or not, with Twitterverse divided.

Some Say, Dhoni Was a ‘Bully’

Such a mockery of game, pathetic! Dhoni keeps bullying umpires and gets away with it. I have just lost count of it. Storming into ground whenever he wants and getting furious at umpires for calling the decisions, if no actions yet, joke is on Indian cricket. Shameful! #CSKvsSRH pic.twitter.com/8MVT09rrFW

— 🕸 (@VIRATs_SPideR) October 13, 2020

No point blaming just Indian umpires if Paul Reiffel, an elite panel ump, a former world cup winner with 127 international caps changes his mind when he sees Dhoni is pissed. Weak umpiring. #CSKvSRH #IPL2020

— Raunak Kapoor (@RaunakRK) October 13, 2020

Dhoni really bullied Umpire there 😹😹😹

— aditya (@Cule_Adi) October 13, 2020

That was not cricket from @msdhoni ,you can't put pressure on the umpire like that and also umpire should have gone with his decision,dhoni is not bigger than the game of cricket. Last yr he came from outside to force the umpire to give it no ball,now forced to not give it a wide

— Hemant Gulia (@HemantGulia) October 13, 2020

Shockingly poor from Dhoni too. SUSPEND HIM FOR A GAME! You JUST can't be bullying the umpire. #SRHvsCSK

— Rohit Sankar (@imRohit_SN) October 13, 2020

Some Say, Not Dhoni’s Fault

Funny to see these twitter takes. Dhoni just expressed his disappointment, is it Dhoni's fault that the umpire backed out at the last moment? Unreal hatred against Dhoni.

— ` (@FourOverthrows) October 13, 2020

The fault is the umpire’s only. If you are intimidated by MS Dhoni that’s your problem. MS Dhoni had the right to express his disappointment though it was a wide. We’ve seen all players do it. That’s just piss poor umpiring & the umpire needs to be fined.

— Pradhyoth (@Pradhyoth1) October 13, 2020

Horrible umpiring from Paul Reiffel.

Got pressured by Dhoni to not give a wide.

This is not new. Umpire's get bullied and pressurized by Dhoni all the time. It's shocking that they don't learn.

How is this not a wide? #SRHvCSK #IPL2020 pic.twitter.com/bkOQvI4dPT

— Aditya (@forwardshortleg) October 13, 2020

Wasn't Dhoni's mistake there, I believe. It was an impromptu, natural reaction. It was the umpire's fault to overturn that decision.

— Sparsh Telang (@_cricketsparsh) October 13, 2020

There is no wrong on Dhoni side, From A WK View and being Captain of the side, He can appeal or ask about the Call, But Umpire Turning it is completely his choice, He cud still show it WIDE but again, CSK won by 20 runs not by 1 or 2 runs.. so calm down!

— Sheba (@Vidyadhar_R) October 13, 2020

Choosing to bat first, Chennai Super Kings had posted 167/6 courtesy an 81-run stand between Ambati Rayudu (41) and Shane Watson (42), followed by a quick and unbeaten 25 from Ravindra Jadeja.

Defending for the first time this season, CSK then restricted David Warner’s SRH to 147/8 in their 20 overs to register their third win in eight games.