 "IPL 2025: From Slapgate and spot-fixing saga to Dhoni losing cool, biggest controversies in Indian Premier League")
Since its introduction in 2008 less than a year after the inaugural T20 World Cup, the Indian Premier League (IPL) has been nothing short of revolutionary. Not only has the world’s biggest T20 league been a blessing for Indian cricketers, it has also changed the landscape of the game by tilting the balance of power away from Australia and England in favour of India, cementing the nation as a cricketing superpower in the years that followed.
Beyond the high-voltage action involving the biggest names in the sport that is on offer year after year, the IPL has also had its fair share of controversial moments in its 17 years of existence. And ahead of the upcoming season of the league that gets underway three days from now with defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders hosting Royal Challengers Bengaluru at the Eden Gardens, we take a look at some of the most controversial moments in IPL history.
Bhajji slaps Sreesanth
The first major controversy in the IPL had taken place in the inaugural edition in 2008 after Punjab Kings (then Kings XI Punjab) trounced Mumbai Indians by 66 runs in Mohali on 25 April, in which broadcast cameras spotted PBKS pacer S Sreesanth crying after getting slapped by MI captain Harbhajan Singh.
Pacer Sreesanth had a habit of getting under his opponents’ skin and Harbhajan reportedly had grown irritated, to the point where retaliated physically instead of having a stern word with him in the dressing room. Harbhajan, who has since apologised for the incident , was banned for the remainder of the season and also received a five-ODI suspension.
SRK banned from Wankhede
The fifth season of the IPL in 2012 saw Gautam Gambhir lead Kolkata Knight Riders to their first IPL title in five attempts by defeating Chennai Super Kings in the final at Chepauk, thereby preventing captain MS Dhoni from completing a hat-trick of titles in an era in which they had made winning look incredibly easy.
That season, however, also witnessed KKR co-owner Shah Rukh Khan get into a heated argument with security at the Wankhede Stadium during his team’s away game against Mumbai Indians on 16 May. Though the Gambhir-led side won that game by 32 runs to continue their charge towards the playoffs, Bollywood superstar ‘SRK’ ended up getting a five-year ban at the iconic cricket venue due to his scuffle with stadium security.
Impact Shorts
More ShortsKohli and Gambhir face off, not once but twice
Both Virat Kohli and Gambhir epitomise the aggressive, in-your-face attitude that is commonly associated with Delhiites and were known for wearing their hearts on their sleeve and not holding themselves back against opponents, resulting in multiple run-ins over the course of their stellar careers. It, therefore, doesn’t come as much of a surprise to know the two have had their share angry exchanges on the field.
The first incident took place during Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s home game against then-defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders at the Chinnaswamy in 2013. Right after he was dismissed for 35 off 27 balls during RCB’s chase of 155, Kohli got into a war of words with KKR captain Gambhir before making his way back to the dugout.
A decade later during RCB’s away game against Lucknow Super Giants, Kohli had another run-in with Gambhir , this time serving as LSG’s mentor. Gambhir, however, was confronting the batting superstar on behalf of Afghan pacer Naveen-ul-Haq, who had a run-in with Kohli earlier in the evening.
2013 spot-fixing scandal
The Kohli-Gambhir incident, however, wasn’t the only controversy that took place in the cash-rich league that year. The sixth season, after all, had witnessed the infamous spot-fixing scandal involving three Rajasthan Royals cricketers , which arguably is the biggest scandal in IPL history till date.
After the Slapgate in the inaugural edition, Sreesanth found himself embroiled in another controversy, this time getting arrested by Delhi Police along with RR teammates Ajit Chandila and Ankeet Chavan on charges of spot-fixing shortly after their match against Mumbai Indians at the Wankhede on 15 May.
The arrested players had raised suspicions after making gestures on the field, from “rotating their watches” to “putting towels in their pants, according to the police. In addition to the three players, several bookies were arrested.
The matter was not shut after the arrest of Sreesanth and his teammates though, as further police investigation into in the world’s richest T20 league lead to charges of spot-fixing and corruption against RR co-owner Raj Kundra and CSK team principal Gurunath Meiyappan, who also happened to be the nephew of then-BCCI president N Srinivasan.
In a landmark ruling by the Supreme Court-appointed RM Lodha Committee in July 2015, two years after the initial scandal and the subsequent investigation, Justice RM Lodha suspended the two franchises for a period of two years. As a result of the verdict, Gujarat Lions and Rising Pune Supergiant were inserted into the eight-team league on a temporary basis until the Super Kings and the Royals were back in action.
Furious MSD storms field over umpire’s decision
Legendary captain and wicketkeeper-batter Dhoni is known for his remarkably calm demeanour even in the most high-pressure situations, and it is that ability that not only made him one of the most celebrated finishers in the modern game but also a standout leader. That said, ‘Thala’ has lost his cool on the field on a few occasions and one of them was when he stormed into the field of play from the dugout during CSK’s match against RR in Jaipur.
Dhoni had been dismissed in the third delivery of the final over of Chennai’s chase of the 152-run target set by Rajasthan, but soon found himself angrily charging back to the field after a full toss by Ben Stokes was initially signalled a waist-high no-ball by the umpire, only to be revoked by the square-leg umpire.
Despite the dramatic scenes, CSK pulled off a thrilling four-wicket win with Mitchell Santner smashing Stokes for a six in the final delivery when three were needed. ‘‘Captain Cool’, however, ended up getting fined 50 per cent of his match fee for his outburst.
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