'MS Dhoni Never Dropped Yuvraj Singh': Ex-Chief Selector Rubbishes Yograj Singh's Claims
Former Indian cricket team all-rounder Yuvraj Singh's father Yograj Singh has repeatedly blamed MS Dhoni for ruining his son's international career in the past.
Former Indian cricket team all-rounder Yuvraj Singh's father Yograj Singh has repeatedly blamed MS Dhoni for ruining his son's international career in the past. Yograj even hinted at tense relations between Dhoni and Yuvraj as he constantly criticised the ex-India captain. However, former chief selector Sandeep Patil has added a fresh twist to the entire incident. During a recent interaction, Patil spoke about the controversy and clarified that Dhoni never asked selectors to drop Yuvraj. “Not once — not during selection meetings, not on tour, not during matches — did Mahendra Singh Dhoni say drop Yuvraj Singh. I am going on the record," Patil said on YouTube channel The Vicky Lalwani Show.
“He had total confidence in the selection committee. He didn't say anything,” Patil added.
When it comes to Yograj's comments, Patil said that a father can feel strongly about his son before making it clear that the blame was placed in the 'wrong place'.
“A father feeling strongly about his son is not wrong. But the blame is being placed in the wrong place," Patil said.
Earlier, he Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) Ethics Officer, Justice Arun Mishra (retd), has dismissed the complaint filed against former Indian captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni regarding alleged violations of conflict-of-interest provisions.
The ruling concludes that no case of conflict of interest was established regarding Dhoni's participation in the Indian Premier League (IPL).
Dhoni now plays for the Chennai Super Kings franchise in the IPL and has led the side to the title five times.
In his detailed order, Justice Mishra noted that while Dhoni could be considered the owner of the cricket academies opened by M/s Aarka Sports and Management Private Limited, the agreement was entered into in 2017, prior to the BCCI's conflict-of-interest regulations coming into force in September 2018.
The Ethics Officer observed that there was no foundational evidence demonstrating that Dhoni's participation as a player placed him in a position of "institutional control or decision-making authority".
Furthermore, the ruling emphasised that no instances of "favouritism, bias, or preferential treatment" were cited or proven in relation to the academy ownership.
Justice Mishra stated that in the absence of such material, "mere continuance as an IPL player, without governance overlap, cannot by itself satisfy the definitional threshold of conflict" under the BCCI rules.
The complaint, filed in February 2024 by the complainant, alleged that Dhoni, as a "current player," was simultaneously the "owner of a Cricket Academy," thereby violating Rule 38(4)(a) and Rule 38(4)(p). The complainant also accused Dhoni of failing to fulfil mandatory disclosure obligations under Rule 38(2) and 38(5) after the rules were amended in 2018.
However, the Ethics Officer noted that the additional submissions reflect personal grievance and allegations extending beyond the scope of Rule 38.
(With agency inputs)
Yuvraj Singh
MS Dhoni