What former team manager Sunil Dev said or didn't say about Dhoni and Manchester Test: Full transcript

Controversy erupted on Sunday when a sting video allegedly caught former Indian cricket manager and DDCA official Sunil Dev making allegations of match-fixing against MS Dhoni.

Dev reportedly claimed in the video by Hindi daily Sun Star that Dhoni — who was still captain of the Test team at the time — had fixed the fourth Test match against England in Manchester during the 2014 tour to England.

After the video became public, the former manager has denied making any allegations.

Below is the transcript of the conversation between Dev and the reporter in the sting video:

Sun Star Reporter: What was the reason for winning the toss and choosing to bat (in the Manchester Test)? Sunil Dev: You’re talking like a child, (India) lost the match knowingly. They knowingly chose to field (Dhoni actually won the toss and elected to bat), they had to lose the match.   

SSR: Was the match fixed? Dev: Even if a single cloud appears above grounds in England, the fast bowler comes back (into play). (The) ball starts speaking.

SSR: It means the India captain had fixed the match? Dev: Hundred percent.

SSR: Hundred percent, sir? Dev: Hundred percent

SSR: And you (were) the manager of that particular team. Dev: I was there.

SSR: Dhoni fixing a match sounds very strange.. Dev: ******* (name bleeped out) used to fix matches; are you surprised then?

SSR: ******* (name bleeped out) used to fix, is it confirmed? Dev: I’m not saying that, the government report is saying that. Who’s Dhoni then? Ask anyone in England about this.

SSR: Does the board (BCCI) have any knowledge of this, that Dhoni-… Dev: (Cutting the reporter off) Do you know that in such rainy and windy conditions, even a captain in the 4th Standard would not chose to bat?

SSR: No one from the board asked Dhoni (about this)? Dev: Nobody asked. That’s what I’m saying.

SSR: But did you complain to the board? Dev: Who cares? My previous report wasn’t made public

SSR: It wasn’t? Which report? Dev: Neither did I want it to be public, when I was manager in 2014.

SSR: Your report on India-England wasn’t made public? Dev: It shouldn’t be made public, I didn’t let it leak. I went to (Chennai), sat in his office, and using his typewriter in front of him, I typed out the one and only copy and gave it to him.

SSR: In front of whom, Sir? Dev: Srinivasan sahab (then BCCI president N Srinivasan). It’s a very dangerous report.

SSR: What is it? Dev: It will pull the rug out from under people’s feet

SSR: You didn’t want the report to go public at that time? Dev: No

SSR: You yourself didn’t want (the report to go public)? Dev: See, even if I’m a genius today, If a big name player says something, the world will take his word over mine. 

SSR: You’re completely right. What was in that report? Dev: I’ll be in a fix if I tell you.

SSR: Whether in the (Justice) Chandrachud Commission, or the interviews given to Outlook, or if you’re talking to us, (regarding) the entire Dhoni episode in India-England Manchester Test you told us about, did you take names of any cricketer involved in match-fixing at a commission or individually? Dev: No… I became alert earlier on.

SSR: What did you need to be alert about? Dev: Something wasn’t right

SSR: Not right in what sense? Dev: You also said that a lot of people-… not right

SSR: Any-… Dev: Danger? Yes.

SSR: A threat to your life? Dev: Geoffrey Boycott said to me, “Hey you ******* (bleeped out) manager, come here. We’re playing golf for no third man. (sic)” I told him, “What’s your problem Geoffrey? You know I don’t play golf, why are you saying that?” He said, “Your captain has just won the toss and elected to bat.” I said, “What?” We are at one-all (one Test apiece), we won at Lord’s and lost the previous game (at Southampton). And we are at the third floor because there’s a new construction at the Manchester ground, the ground has changed and I’ve seen every match there as I live in London in the summer. So I came down to the first floor, the commentary is going on — one out. By the time I enter my dressing room — two out. By the time I go out in the balcony to sit — four out. 

SSR: Who was the captain? Dev: There’s one captain only for so long, he’s a very big captain, he’s a very lucky captain.

SSR: He’s lucky, you’re right. There can’t be so much fixing, things occur naturally as well. Dev: You don’t believe me. You’re an Indian and you think “my India” can’t do anything wrong! Are you guys doing that (sting) on me?

SSR: What are you saying, Sir? No Dev: Are you taking any photos or using your phone to record, I’m just thinking. If you’re doing a sting, then let me tell you, I’m with the cricket board, I’ve done good work for 40 years, there’s no board as good as the cricket board. Whatever you write on my career will be stories. 

SSR: (laughs) One last question, Sir. Whatever you told us about the 2014 India-England Test, when you were team manager and saw that there were many irregularities, the report you gave to Srinivasan as team manager, why didn’t you personally want the report to be made public? Dev: Because (people) won’t understand the truth.

SSR: Meaning? Dev: People won’t believe it.

SSR: But all these documents are stored by the board — the reports you give as manager? Dev: They must be stored.

SSR: And you told all this personally to Srinivasan when you met him? Dev: I met him and told him, and gave him the written complain.

SSR: What was his reaction? Dev: He was very appreciative.

SSR: But there was no result to be seen for that appreciation? Dev: Who cares about the result?

Watch the full video of the sting operation below: