Ricky Ponting livid, argues with umpire before Sourav Ganguly joins in as chaos breaks out during RR vs DC IPL 2024 game

When it's the IPL, emotions are bound to flow. Last year, if it was Gautam Gambhir and Virat Kohli, this time it seems to have gripped the Delhi Capitals camp as early as the first week itself. How else do you explain the scenes that transpired in the Capitals camp just before the second innings of the match against RR was about to commence? Tempers flew as head coach Ricky Ponting, team director Sourav Ganguly got involved in a heated exchange with the reserve official – also known as the fourth umpire. All over a topic which wasn't even an issue in the first place. Ricky Ponting and Sourav Ganguly were initially having none of what the umpire had to say(Screengrab)

Here's what had happened. The Rajasthan Royals had picked Jos Buttler, Trent Boult and Shimron Hetmyer as the three overseas players in their XI. However, shortly after Hetmyer went off and on came Nandre Burger as the Impact Player, RR substituted Shubham Dubey with Rovman Powell, making it four overseas players for the Royals on the field. This did not go down too well with Ponting, as he made his feelings vocal. Ponting's point was simple. When the Royals started with 3 overseas players, how could they field four?

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It all started when RR captain Sanju Samson was seen calling Powell into the field after the second ball of the first over. Ponting, who was sitting in the dugout, immediately took note of this and started to fling his arms up in the air before going to the boundary line and having an animated chat with the fourth umpire.

Papers were rolled out as the official tried to make Ponting go through the rules as he seemingly explained the situation to the DC head coach. As Ponting sat in the dugout trying his best to be patient with the matter, director Ganguly, sitting in the row behind, jumped in and had a word or two of his own with the official. Ponting and Ganguly… sharing the same thoughts and advocating together for a common cause. Who would have thought, eh?

But that's the beauty of the IPL. After a lot of back-and-forth conversation, the debate was put to rest, with Ponting, Ganguly and DC realising there was nothing wrong with RR's tactics.

VIDEO: Ricky Ponting, Sourav Ganguly in heated chat with umpire regarding RR's number of overseas players

What does the IPL rules say about overseas players?

A careful look at the rules elaborates it further. As per the overseas playing conditions, rule 1.2.5 states that no team can include more than 4 overseas players in their team. However, rule 1.2.6 states that in case all 4 players have been named in the XI, an overseas player can enter the fray only as a substitute for another one.

It further says that if a team has gone ahead with less than 4 overseas players, it's completely alright for another overseas cricketer to come in as a substitute irrespective of whether the player he is replacing is a local talent or from another country. "If the team names less than 4 Overseas players in its starting XI, Overseas players may only enter the field of play as substitute fielders to the extent that by doing so, they do not take the total number of Overseas players representing that team on the field to more than 4," reads the exact law.

Capitals lose two in a row

DC's evening went from bad to worse as they failed to chase down the target of 176 set by the Royals, falling short by 12 runs. After Riyan Parag played quite possibly the innings of his IPL career, smashing an unbeaten 84 off 45 balls including 7 fours and 6 sixes, DC looked to be on track as David Warner and Mitchell Marsh fired them to 30 in 3 overs. However, with Marsh's dismissal followed by a two-ball duck from Ricky Bhui, it was over to ex-captain Warner and the current skipper Rishabh Pant. But instead of sustaining the pace, the scoring-rate dipped. Warner was eventually dismissed for 49 off 34 balls, while fluency was missing from Pant's innings of 28 off 26 balls.

Tristan Stubbs tried but despite scoring a quickfire 44 off 23 balls, a knock that included three sixes and two fours, DC were left with too many to get with too little left, and thus joined Mumbai Indians as the only two teams to have lost both their games so far. Still early days in the tournament, but DC and MI are languishing at 8th and 9th respectively, with Lucknow Super Giants at the bottom of the pile.

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