New Delhi, March 21 : The Indian Premier League (IPL) has been one of the driving factors which has led to India establishing themselves as one of the biggest cricketing nations in the world. While the IPL has revolutionised cricket and brought in significant revenue, it has also faced controversies that have tainted its reputation. As the cash-rich league enters its 18th edition, let's recall some of the biggest controversies to have taken place in the league which had significant impact on the tournament.

If one is to talk about controversies, the first one that comes to mind is the 2013 spot fixing scandal. The most infamous controversy in IPL history occurred in 2013 when three players - Sreesanth, Ajit Chandila and Ankeet Chavan - were arrested for spot-fixing during the tournament. The players were allegedly involved in deliberately underperforming in specific parts of the match in exchange for money from bookmakers. In 2015, charges of spot-fixing and corruption against RR co-owner Raj Kundra and CSK team principal Gurunath Meiyappan were made. The two teams served a two-year suspension from the league and were replaced by Gujarat Lions and Rising Pune Supergiant. The scandal also led to the suspension of these players for life by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) which was later reduced to seven years.

Sreesanth was not a stranger to the negative limelight as he was also on the receiving end of the infamous 'Slapgate' incident in the inaugural 2008 edition of the tournament. During a match between the Mumbai Indians and Kings XI Punjab, Harbhajan Singh and Sreesanth got into a heated altercation which ended with the spinner slapping his national team compatriot. The incident caught the media's attention and sparked widespread criticism of Harbhajan's behaviour and he later apologised for the physical altercation. The incident led to a disciplinary hearing and Harbhajan was banned for the rest of the season

Although IPL owners find their way to the headlines one way or another, Shahrukh Khan's infamous exchange with security personnel in 2012 led to the 'King of Bollywood' and majority owner of three-time champions Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), the Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) imposed a five-year ban on him, preventing him from entering the stadium. Although the official statement stated the superstar was trying to enter the field after his side's victory when he was stopped by security, SRK claimed he was triggered by a word used by the security staff, which was religious in nature.

This list would truly be incomplete without talking about Virat Kohli vs Gautam Gambhir controversy that occurred during the 2013 IPL season in a match between Royal Challengers Bengaluru and KKR. The incident unfolded when a heated altercation took place between the two cricketers during the game. It started with an aggressive exchange of words after a dismissal involving Kohli. Gambhir, known for his fiery demeanor, confronted Kohli, which quickly escalated into a public spat. The dispute was widely discussed, as both players are known for their passionate approach to the game.

The duo squared up again in 2023 when Kohli got into an altercation with Afghanistan bowler Naveen ul Haq. Gambhir, who was Lucknow Super Giants' mentor at the time, backed Naveen and words were exchanged again between the two. Since Gambhir's appointment as head coach of the Indian national team, both greats of the game have acknowledged their previous arguments and buried the hatchet in the past.

Since the beginning of the tournament former India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni has been one of the faces of the IPL. However during the 2019 IPL match between CSK and RR at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium, captain cool certainly lost his calm. In a tense moment, CSK needed eight runs to win off the last two balls, and the on-field umpire made a controversial no-ball call that angered Dhoni. After giving the no-ball initially, the umpires revoked their decision. Feeling frustrated, Dhoni stormed onto the field from the dugout and confronted the umpires. His actions were seen as a breach of protocol, as players are typically not allowed to approach the umpires mid-game. Despite the controversy, the match ended with a CSK win, but Dhoni was docked 50 percent of his match fees for breaching the code of conduct.

If one is to look at controversies in recent times, one need not look further than the animated chat that took place between Lucknow Super Giants' owner Sanjiv Goenka and then captain KL Rahul during the 2024 IPL when LSG were hammered by SRH with a humiliating 10-wicket loss. Afterwards, LSG owner appeared visibly displeased after the match's outcome and was seen engaged in an intense discussion with skipper Rahul along the boundary line at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium. Although the content of their conversation was inaudible, the animated exchange between the owner and captain gained traction on social media. The wicketkeeper batter had later reflected on the incident saying 'it was not the nicest thing' to go through. Although Goenka later said there was no negative feelings between the two parties but Rahul was not retained by the team and has now shifted to the Delhi Capitals.

/IANS