Rising Pune Supergiants’ decision to sack Dhoni disgraceful, says Azharuddin

FORMER INDIA SKIPPER Mohammad Azharuddin has criticized Rising Pune Supergiants for the manner in which they have stripped World Cup winning skipper MS Dhoni from captaincy of the franchise. 

Recently, the Pune franchise replaced Dhoni with Steve Smith as captain for the 10th edition of the IPL, which is scheduled to get underway on April 5. In an interaction with Aaj Tak, Azharuddin slammed the franchise’s decision and termed it as ‘third-rate and disgraceful’.

"The decision and manner of execution was third-rate and disgraceful. Dhoni has been a jewel in Indian cricket, he has won almost everything in the 8-9 years of his captaincy and even though the franchise can say they run the team with their own money, shouldn't they have seen Dhoni's stature and credibility before first stripping him of captaincy and then not even letting Dhoni the grace? I feel angry and sad as a former cricketer."

RPS had finished seventh in the ninth edition of the IPL and Azharuddin believes that is unfair to put blame on the veteran keeper-batsman. 

"What will a captain do when the team doesn't play well? If Dhoni wasn't good and an inspirational captain would he have won two IPL titles (leading Chennai Superkings)? Belittling Indian sporting legends like Dhoni through corporate board rooms is stooping down to the lowest."

The 54-year-old further added, 

"If they had wanted to change the captaincy they should have gone to Dhoni and given him the grace to quit on his own and tell the world it was his own decision. That would have given him an honourable exit but when you keep thinking like a businessman, you actually don't think about the sportsman. I feel the BCCI should not let this go and should deal with it." 

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