Rishabh Pant, Pravin Amre in an ugly controversy over a ‘no ball’ decision

Ugly scenes and dramatic controversy erupted in the final over with Delhi Capitals’ captain Rishabh Pant actually sending out one of their coaches Pravin Amre, who seemed more than willing to do it too, to protest a umpiring decision. Just prior to that, did Pant signal his two batsmen to walk out at that decision? The way he gestured with his hands to his batsmen suggested that but only he will know.
This is what happened: Needing 36 runs from the last over, Obed McCoy was slammed for three consecutive sixes Rovmen Powell. The third six-ball was the controversy starter. It was a full toss, and just about dipping from above wa-high when Powell smashed it.
The on-field umpires didn’t ask the third umpire to check if it was a no-ball and Delhi Capitals dugout went ballic. Many, including Pant, Amre, Shane Watson and David Warner, had their hands stretched out to gesture the no-ball sign. The batsmen had a word with the umpires. The game paused. The non-striker Kuldeep Yadav was even playfully stopped his friend Yuzvendra Chahal from charging across to the square-leg umpire. Yadav would try again and again, and Chahal would block his way and ask him to get back. But things were turning dire in the DC dug out.

Shame on Chutiya umpire #nitinmenon its clear cut no ball @RishabhPant17 Hats off CaptainIts not gully cricket fucking IPL umpires. What’s the purpose of 3rd umpire and tons of cameras. Shane Watson you are wrong this time#RishabhPant #IPL #IPL2022 #DCvRR umpire should be FINED pic.twitter.com/uT6ygS35l1
— John (@JithinJohnMath7) April 22, 2022
Pant was now seen signalling with his hands, as if he was telling his batsmen to come back. Or perhaps he didn’t want to resume the play till a decision was taken, we would never know until he opens up. Just then, Shane Watson got up and close with Pant in an animated chat – did he tell Pant not to do that?
Just as things seem to be settling in, Amre took one step beyond the ropes, and had a look and a word with Pant. Pant egged him on, to go inside all the way. And Amre ran in. Delhi were without their main coach Ricky Ponting who is quarantining after one of his family members contracted Covid. Would this have happened if he was there?
“I don’t know who they think they are but that was a huge huge make, I just don;’t understand the coach running in to field of play. He is a senior member. That is unacceptable. I hope that we never ever ever see it again,” Kevin Pietersen would say later.
Meanwhile, on the field, Jos Buttler charged across to the DC dug out and had a stern word or two with Pant. Pant was trying to explain his case and Buttler shook his head, disagreeing obviously at the decision to send Amre, the coach, to run in on to the field. He would repeat the scene – remonstrate with Pant- again later at the end of the play.
Amre was asked the umpires to go back to the dug-out. Later, Pant would explain the chaos. “I thought that no ball could have been precious to us. They could have checked it. Everyone was frustrated because it was not even close – it was a no ball. I think third umpire should have intervened,” Pant would say.
When he was pressed about his decision to ask Amre to go in to argue with the umpires, Pant said, “It wasn’t right, but what happened with us wasn’t also not right. It was heat of moment thing.”
Was it a no-ball? Graeme Swann thought so at least. “It was a no ball but that was no way to react Delhi. It was an ugly moment and spoiled what was a great game.” As it turned out all that protest totally changed the momentum and Powell, who had hit three sixes, could only get two runs from the remaining three, and also losing his wicket off the final ball.
Dhoni has stormed on to field of play like Amre before
In 2019, MS Dhoni had done an Amre. He sprang up from the dugout during a game against Rajasthan Royals and ran onto the field of play after a no-ball was rescinded in a nail-biting last over finish. With Ravindra Jadeja gestured angrily at the umpires for the change in decision, Dhoni walked into the playing area to talk to the umpires and was pictured gesticulating about the original call.
The umpires, without referring to the third-umpire, concurred that the full-toss would not have been wa-high. Now, Delhi Capitals play the same Dhoni script, sending in Amre to argue with the umpires.