Mumbai Indians captain Rohit Sharma did not misbehave with the umpires during the team’s match against Rising Pune Supergiant on Monday, and was only trying to clarify rules, his teammate Harbhajan Singh said. Sharma was fined 50% of his match fee for showing dissent towards umpire S Ravi, who did not give a wide in the last over of Mumbai’s chase, when they needed 11 runs off four balls to win.

Jaydev Unadkat had pushed the third delivery of the over wide after seeing Sharma shuffle across the crease to his right. Realising that the ball was veering away from the guideline for wide deliveries, Sharma left it alone. However, umpire S Ravi didn’t call it a wide. Disappointed with the call, Sharma walked up to the umpire and questioned him on his decision.

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“The ball was too far outside, to be honest, but I don’t really know whether it was wide or not,” Harbhajan said in the post-match press conference. “If both the batsman’s legs move, then bowler should get the margin, but Rohit’s one leg had moved and as per me it should have been a wide. But we have to move on with the umpire’s decision. [Rohit] wanted to check what is the rule then, where he need to stand, he did not shout at the umpire and ask him why did he not call a wide. He was asking where should I stand so that it is called a wide, if they bowl so outside, the more you move, the bowler will get the margin.”

However, Singh said that particular incident wasn’t responsible for Mumbai’s loss against Pune, which ended their six-match winning streak. “I don’t know whether momentum was lost [because of the wide not being called]. Rohit was hitting nicely, but unfortunately he ended up hitting the ball straight in the air. That’s what happens, cricket is a game, anything can happen. Just before that he hit a six and a similar ball went up in the air. I don’t think momentum would have lost. At that time, as a batter, just see and hit the ball. Rohit was batting on 50-odd, so don’t think there were chances to lose the momentum.”

Rahane also backs Sharma’s behaviour

Rising Pune Supergiant vice-captain Ajinkya Rahane also backed Rohit Sharma despite his outburst. “I think it was the right call,” Rahane said. “Because, as a batsman when you move [across the stumps], that area outside [the off stump] goes to the bowler. Rohit’s behaviour at that point was natural. As a captain, as a player, when the game is so close, it comes automatically; nobody does it deliberately. I don’t think there was anything wrong with his behaviour, but the umpire’s call was right, too, for us.”

Rahane also said such incidents should remain on the field and too much should not be read into it. “It happens on the field and remains on the field. In this format, in close games, this will happen in the future as well. You should respect the umpire’s decision as well as whatever Rohit did that was completely natural.”