Kings XI Punjab have been going through a horrendous IPL 9 campaign, but the worst of it might just have been revealed. Shaun Marsh, who was thought to have had to go back to Australia because of a back injury, was in fact sent back home after being the aggressor in a dressing room brawl with an unnamed teammate, reports Deccan Chronicle.
With 159 runs in 6 matches, Marsh had been one of the best batsmen in the struggling batting order, and the curtailment of his season was a big blow for KXIP. South African Hashim Amla was flown in to replace him, but is yet to find his groove.
According to the DC report, a team source has divulged that cliques have formed within the team, with the Indian faction being led by Murali Vijay. David Miller was replaced as captain by Vijay mid-way through the season, something that sits badly with this latest allegation.
Just before Miller had been sacked, there had reportedly been an unsavoury incident in the dressing room. Marsh had allegedly thrown a punch at a Punjab teammate and a brawl had ensued. The source also said that this might not be related to the change of captaincy; however, as a result of this, Marsh was flown back.
It remains to be seen how the batsman and the team react to these latest allegations, which could be the most serious of them all.
KXIP, struggling with 6 points from 10 matches, have had other similar incidents revealed in the ongoing season before – it was reported, and subsequently denied by both individuals, that owner Preity Zinta had unleashed a foul-mouthed verbal volley at coach Sanjay Bangar in the presence of players and staff.
Immediately after Marsh returned to Australia, KXIP’s decisions came under question when they played three overseas players in their team for the next match, replacing Marsh with Manan Vohra.
The Kings take on Mumbai Indians on Friday, aiming to lift themselves from the bottom. A place close to the top of the table has eluded them in the current season; controversy, however, has not.
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