Mohammad Azharuddin slams Rising Pune Supergiants for disgraceful' MS Dhoni sacking

Mumbai: Former India skipper Mohammad Azharuddin on Monday slammed IPL franchise Rising Pune Supergiants for axing Mahendra Singh Dhoni as the captain of the team.

Dhoni was removed as the captain of the IPL side in favour of Australian captain Steve Smith.

Read: MS Dhoni removed as Pune Supergiants captain, Steve Smith to take over

"The decision and manner of execution was third-rate and disgraceful,” Azharuddin told Aaj Tak. Dhoni has been a jewel in Indian cricket, he has won almost everything in the 8-9 years of his captaincy and even though the franchise can say they run the team with their own money, shouldn't they have seen Dhoni's stature and credibility before first stripping him of captaincy and then not even letting Dhoni the grace? I feel angry and sad as a former cricketer."

Azharuddin lashed out at the Pune franchise management for the treatment meted out to Dhoni.

"What will a captain do when the team doesn't play well? If Dhoni wasn't a good and an inspirational captain would he have won two IPL titles (leading Chennai Super Kings)? Belittling Indian sporting legends like Dhoni through corporate board rooms is stooping down to the lowest," Azhar said.

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Pune franchise owner Sanjiv Goenka had earlier explained that Dhoni was removed as the they wanted a young captain to lead the side.

"Dhoni has not stepped down. We have appointed Steve Smith as the skipper for the upcoming season. Frankly speaking, we did not have a good last season and we wanted someone young to lead the side and revamp it ahead of the upcoming season 10," said Goenka.

Two time world cup winning captain, Dhoni had led now-suspended franchise Chennai Super Kings to two IPL titles.