IPL: Team-wise biggest controversy in league history

The Indian Premier League is the toughest franchise tournament in the game. Players from different leagues participate in this tournament to make a name for themselves. For the youngsters, it is a perfect platform to grab the attention of the selectors. Apart from that, for the veterans, it provides a platform to make a comeback. IPL since 2008 has been the most iconic tournament as it serves its motto. Because of this tournament, the national teams have been blessed with superstars. When different minds come together to share the same dressing room, there is a scope for improvement as individuals for the players. But, IPL has been affected by various controversies in the past. These controversies went on to change the future of the sport. Be it drug-related or spot-fixing, these instances have played a major role in changing the face of the game. Let's look at the biggest controversy related to each IPL team: 8. Delhi Capitals( formerly known as Delhi Daredevils) Delhi Daredevils team. (Photo Source: Twitter) Let us go back to the inaugural edition of the Indian Premier League. During that time, the Pakistani players were a part of the IPL. With a huge tournament coming up in the circuit, it had everybody’s attention. But, for Mohammed Asif, it was a horrible start. He was detained in an airport in Dubai. This was because an illegal drug was found in his purse. The authorities held Asif for nearly 36 hours. There were some questions raised on these issues and PCB had stated that he was merely detained and not arrested. Later on, the substance was claimed to be a herbal remedy for an injury suffered by Asif during the IPL. There was also a buzz in the media that the substance could have been hashish. Well, for a team that has been clean over the years, this is the only instance that Delhi has been a part of. 7. Mumbai Indians IPL Cheerleaders. (Photo Source: Twitter) The defending champions Mumbai Indians have been caught in an ugly scandal during the early 2010s. A few years ago, an IPL cheerleader from MI’s cheerleading squad stated that few cricketers were misbehaving with her at post-match parties. This brings out the dark stories IPL has which are quite unknown to many people. Gabriella tweeted that “My blog was meant to be light and witty and not taken seriously or to heart… this should not have become such a scene…”. She added, “My blog was not just based on the cricketers, I wrote only a few sentences about them and it seems it scared the S### out of them.” Even though the governing body remained silent about the issue, she found support from other cheerleaders. This opened up about the way the cheerleaders are seen in the circuit. When Pasqualotto began tweeting about her experiences as @IPLGirl, she quickly became a celebrity. She afterward began writing an anonymous blog about flirty cricketers and IPL parties. According to accounts, a cheerleader notified cricketers about Pasqualotto’s activities, which resulted in her being fired and sent home. This is incident is one of the worst ones for the most successful franchise in the tournament. 6. Rajasthan Royals Rajasthan Royals. (Photo: IANS) Rajasthan Royals were the inaugural champions of the competitive tournament in 2008. They were the underdog that defeated the mighty strong franchises. But, things turned around in 2013. This is because of a spot-fixing scandal. The cricketers involved were S Sreesanth, Ajit Chandila, and Ankeet Chavan. Later on, the Governing Council met and decided that the punishment will be severe. The owner, Raj Kundra was arrested on allegations of betting. This was one of the darkest phases of the Indian Premier League. Later on, there were several questions asked on the integrity of the tournament. A committee had later stated that the game should be made clearer and more transparent. Adding on, the senior players had a huge role to play. They had to ensure that the youngsters are not exposed to the dangers of spot-fixing. 5. Kolkata Knight Riders Shahrukh Khan at Wankhede stadium. (Photo Source: Twitter) The Kolkata Knight Riders are one of the most popular franchises in the tournament. During the last decade, they managed to win two seasons in three years. They had the perfect captain in the form of Gautam Gambhir, who led his side from the front. Talking about leaders, Shah Rukh Khan, the superstar in the Bollywood industry is still the face of the franchise. But, he was in muddy waters when he got into a fight with the security at Wankhede. This was an ugly incident by every means. Being a role model for millions across the country, this action from Khan was unacceptable. As a result of which the Mumbai Cricket Association banned him from entering the premises of the stadium for five years. This was one of the most popular controversies in 2012. 4. Punjab Kings ( formerly known as Kings XI Punjab) Punjab Kings. (Photo Source: IPL/BCCI) Punjab Kings is one of the most entertaining franchises in the tournament. But, they have failed to lift a trophy. Their best performance to date is reaching the finals of the 2014 season of the IPL. The team attracted the attention of the media when the owner Preity Zinta and chief mentor Virender Sehwag got into an argument. The Punjab-based franchise lost to Rajasthan after they failed to chase down a modest total of 159. Punjab is well known to lose from comfortable positions. And this was just another instance. The verbal spat amongst the owner and management is one of the biggest controversies in the history of the tournament. 3. Royal Challengers Bangalore Kieron Pollard and Mitchell Starc. (Photo Source: Twitter) The Aussies are well known to lose their cool. Well, in a tournament like the IPL, it is normal for players to have pressure on their sleeves. But, in 2014, Mitchell Starc and Keiron Pollard took things too far. This was one of the ugliest incidents one would ever see on a cricket field. As Rohit Sharma’s side was up against Kohli’s during the 27th match of the season, it was a normal match with Rohit and Pollard giving in everything for their team. But, as Starc bowled a bouncer to Pollard, the T20 superstar failed to hook the ball. Instantly, Starc sledged the legendary all-rounder. Next ball, as Starc had started his run-up, Pollard was not ready and he stopped the speedster midway. This resulted in Starc throwing the ball. But, Pollard threw his bat towards Starc. Fortunately, the bat slipped onto the ground. Thankfully no one was injured. 2. Sunrisers Hyderabad David Warner. (Photo Source: IPL/BCCI) The Sunrisers Hyderabad have been one of the most consistent teams in the history of the IPL. They managed to win the trophy in 2016. Their then captain, David Warner had captained them superbly throughout the tournament. Warner has been SRH’s most iconic batsman to date. In his IPL career, he has scored 5447 runs with an impressive strike rate of 140.13. But, this year, he has not been at his best. This has resulted in some controversy for the franchise because of the step they have taken. During the first half of the 2021 edition of the IPL, Warner was stripped off from the role of captaincy. The role of captain has been given to Kane Williamson. This started a phase of harsh criticism from the fans towards the franchise. 1. Chennai Super Kings Chennai Super Kings. (Photo Source: IPL/BCCI) Chennai Super Kings is one of the most popular teams in the Indian Premier League. Adding on, they have won the title three times, the second-best performance by any team. CSK has been successful because of its retention strategies. But, it has been part of the worst scandal in the history of the IPL. During the 2013 season of the IPL, Gurunath Meyappan, the son of the owner of CSK was arrested on the charges of spot-fixing. Later on, the Mudgal Committee took some harsh steps and in 2016, the franchise was banned for two years. This was a big setback for the loyal fans. Adding on, several cricketers including M.S. Dhoni was under the scanner during that time. The Men-in-Yellow returned in 2018 with a new face. Several veterans were a part of CSK. And they managed to win their third title with the help of Watson’s superb century in the final against Sunrisers Hyderabad. This was a dream return into the circuit for CSK.

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IPL: Team-wise biggest controversy in league history

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2. Sunrisers Hyderabad

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