Dhoni questions earpiece use by umpires

Asked about umpiring, a sarcastic Dhoni said, "You don’t want me to get banned before World T20. You have all seen umpiring. It’s your call."

M. S. Dhoni queried whether earpieces were always necessary, suggesting they were affecting umpires' hearing.

India captain M. S. Dhoni questioned umpires using earpieces during international matches, suggesting the devices might affect their decision-making on the field.

The skipper spoke out after a controversial umpiring decision that saw Pakistan's Khurram Manzoor given not out despite apparently nicking a ball by left-arm pacer Ashish Nehra during the Asia Cup Twenty20 match yesterday.

Asked about umpiring, a sarcastic Dhoni said, “You don’t want me to get banned before World T20. You have all seen umpiring. It’s your call.”

“(But) One thing certainly should be done. Umpires now use walkie talkies as well as wear ear piece in one ear which effectively means they are umpiring with one ear. It’s a difficult job. One needs to consider this. They are hearing with one ear. I believe there is no point having a ear piece when the bowler is bowling as you don’t need to use it then.

It’s better to use both ears as a lot of things might happen on the field,” the Indian skipper said at the post match press conference.

“It’s very interesting you know. Match referees say that microphone is off when there is a situation of one guy from one team saying something to the other guy. But it is very strange that whenever I say something, they always catch it.

“Something may be very fishy from my side or match referee’s side. For example, okay this guy used a word that should not be used and we find mike is off but whatever I say, mike is always on,” Dhoni said.