Hyderabad: Angered by the refusal of the hotel management to allow him and his teammates enjoying home-made biryani, Chennai Super Kings captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni led his entire team and support staff out of Grand Kakatiya Hotel in Hyderabad and transferred to another five-star hotel.
The incident occurred on Wednesdayafter CSK lost to Kolkatta Knight Riders in Champions League T20 match in Hyderabad.
According to sources both in the Board of Cricket Control and the Grand Kakatiya Hotel and Towers, the incident occurred when home-cooked biryani was sent by Indian team member Ambati Rayudu’s family to the CSK team staying at the hotel.
According to the hotel staff, the management allowed the team members to enjoy the biryani in their rooms but trouble started when the team members insisted on having the food in the board room of the hotel. “It’s not allowed as per the hotel rules,” said an official at the hotel.
Dhoni, normally a cool-headed person, got angry over the episode and led his team and support staff to the nearby Taj Krishna Hotel. The BCCI officials also reportedly cancelled their booking at Grand Kakatiya and moved to Taj Krishna. Grand Kakatiya had booked 180 rooms for the team and support staff.
Interestingly, the episode happened after CSK left for Bengaluru for another match. Rayudu was also not in Hyderabad as he was away in Raipur to play another match but had asked his family to send biryani for his teammates.
Grand Kakatiya management confirmed that Dhoni and his team vacated the hotel but did not give any reason why. “Please ask the team members and management,” a public relations official said.
