After MS Dhoni's heated exchange with Umpire Aleem Dar in the ongoing test between India and England, is it time for the ICC to implement an immediate on-field warning for misdemeanours?

By Saj Sadiq (November 17, 2012)

I've always liked M S Dhoni as a cricketer and as a captain. He's a smart cricketer, a thinking man's cricketer and a shrewd captain. He may not be everyone's "cup of tea" but his achievements with the Indian team should be commended.

He's normally a man of few words and he generally lets his cricket do the talking, however from time to time we have witnessed petulance from him towards umpires....and that is unforgiveable. If your Board is not prepared to give technology a chance, then you have to accept the rough decisions alongside the ones that go your way.

It doesn't matter how big a name you are, how high your profile is, how many matches you have won, how many awards you have won, respecting the match officials is an absolute must not only in cricket but any sport. 

Today it was disappointing to see M S Dhoni arguing with highly acclaimed umpire Aleem Dar in front of millions around the world watching the action on television and in front of thousands at the stadium.

The disagreement occurred due to Dar's insistence that the Indians calmed down with their appealing. Dar was well within his rights to request that from Dhoni and his team mates, as some of the appealing was becoming desperate and ridiculous. One particular prolonged appeal from Ojha seemed to particularly annoy Dar and he put his hand up at Ojha, is if saying to him to stop and control the appeal.

Following the Ojha appeal, the well respected umpire approached Dhoni in his usual professional and assured manner and advised the Indian captain to calm his troops down and for them to reign in their appealing. Dhoni's reaction was over the top and unnecessary. 

It wasn't quite Shakoor Rana and Mike Gatting standards but Dhoni's reaction was irresponsible and aggressive. Pointing his finger at Dar, Dhoni vented his frustration at the Pakistani and the exchange was an unpleasant and uncomfortable one to watch.

What interests me about this exchange is what Dar will write in his match report, what the referee will make of this incident and also what the ICC intend to do about on field discipline? I'm sure there will have been an apology of sorts from Dhoni, but the damage was done.

The likes of Stuart Broad and Ricky Ponting are just two examples of players who in my opinion have been allowed to get away with too much on the cricket field when it comes to indiscipline. They are just two examples of the modern day cricketer whose loutish behaviour on the field must not be copied by young up and coming cricketers.

Players perhaps feel that they will be treated leninetly and can get away with whatever they want on the field. Cricketers are fined for not having tape covering up a sponsors logo, yet slanging matches with umpires go unpunished.

Disrespecting the match officials has to be dealt with by the ICC and it has to be dealt with quickly, or incidents as we have seen today between Dhoni and Dar will continue to happen and become even more regular. If this is not stamped out then more spoilt brats will come through the ranks, moaning and arguing their way to international cricket.

What can be done about it? The best way to deal with indiscipline by any cricketer is to punish them accordingly. I'm not talking about a little slap on the wrist in the match referees room after the match or a paltry fine. What needs to be done is that the player has to be punished right away and punished heavily.

What I propose is the introduction of a yellow card/sin bin system as they have in Rugby. If a match official feels that a player has stepped out of line, the offender receives a yellow card and has to go and sit in the sin bin for half an hour. Meanwhile the offender's team has to field with ten men, rather than eleven for the period that he is not on the field.

If it's a batsman who receives the yellow card then if his team are batting first, then he misses the first half hour of his team's fielding. If it's a batsman who receives a yellow card in the 2nd innings of a T20 or ODI or the 4th innings of a Test match then the 30 minute spell for the sin bin should be served in the next match that the individual plays in.

This idea could work in all formats and I am sure would deter cricketers from such loutish behaviour on the field.

Discuss!