Ashok Dinda and Pragyan Ojha get into an ugly fight

Ashok Dinda has been an integral part of the team since last 4 seasons. He has been a key player for them bowling with the new ball. Pragyan Ojha was drafted to Bengal team last year as an inter-state transfer from Hyderabad. The team management spoke to both the players and the situation seems to be under control. The altercation went to an extent of both players physically harming one another.

It all happened during the practice sessions. The team was involved in a game of football. As per the unsaid code of conduct among the players, the tackles are not allowed in such games. However, Dinda was found tackling a few players. He also hit the ball hard enough that almost brushed Pragyan Ojha’s ears. Ojha shouted at him in response. Dinda did not shy away from charging back to Ojha and that is when Ojha pushed Dinda down on the floor.

Before the matter could get worse, the team management and other players separated the two senior players. Dinda had apparently called Ojha an outsider and that triggered the feud between the two. The matter was then reported to Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) President Sourav Ganguly. Ganguly advised the two players to calm down and move on. A reliable source from CAB narrated the incident to PTI.

Team captain Manoj Tiwary, coach Sairaj Bahutule, and manager Sameer Dasgupta spoke to both the players to convey their disappointment over the matter.

“The provocation did not come from Ojha who is a very cool fellow. It was Dinda who took a powerful shot that whizzed past Ojha’s ears. He could have got hurt and he was annoyed as he shouted at Dinda. He then charged at Ojha wanting to settle scores and Ojha just pushed him. He fell to the ground but by then the other members had come between them,” a senior CAB official told PTI.

Ashok Dinda is known for getting into such altercations. In 2009, he was involved in a similar argument with Ranadeb Bose. A year earlier on 2008, his fight with Shib Shankar Paul had also created a stir in the dressing room.