Dhoni's absence disappoints fans in Orissa

Mahendra Singh Dhoni Bhubaneswar, Dec 19 : Hundreds of fans of Indian cricket captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni here were disappointed Saturday when they could not spot their favorite player in the Indian squad which arrived here along with the Sri Lankan team to play the third day-night one-day international at Cuttack on Dec 21.

"We are disappointed," Rabindra Mohanty, 20, a fan standing outside at the Mayfair hotel here, said after not spotting Dhoni in the team.    

Dhoni recieved a two-match ban Saturday for the Indian team's slow over rate during the second one-day international against Sri Lanka at Nagpur.    

""We had come here to see Dhoni. He should have been given this chance. We will miss Dhoni's explosive batting," Ratnakar Muduli, another fan, said.

The teams arrived here in the afternoon and were taken to the Mayfair Hotel amid tight security.

The authorities have made heavy security arrangements in and around the hotel where the players and officials are scheduled to stay for three-days and around the Cuttack stadium where the match would be played.    (IANS)