IPL controversies:
Even though cricket isn’t as popular in the US as baseball or football, the Indian Premier League (IPL) is attracting millions of people worldwide, including American sports lovers. The IPL is one of the most watched sports events in the world because of its fast-paced format, global star power, and enormous entertainment value. However, there is a dark side to all of the glamor, glamour, and sixes: the IPL controversies.
The IPL has witnessed everything from high-profile match-fixing cases to locker-room drama and administrative mayhem.
1. 2013 Match-Fixing Scandal: Cricket’s Version of the Black Sox
The 2013 Rajasthan Royals players’ accusations of spot-fixing, in which players agree to execute specified actions at specific moments for money without necessarily affecting the outcome of the game, sparked one of the largest IPL scandals.
Delhi Police detained three players: Ajit Chandila, Ankeet Chavan, and S. Sreesanth. However, it didn’t end there. Gurunath Meiyappan, the main official with the Chennai Super Kings and a close associate of N. Srinivasan, the BCCI president at the time, was also implicated.
The fallout? Two IPL teams — Chennai Super Kings and Rajasthan Royals — were suspended for two years. It was a dark chapter that exposed the cracks in what was otherwise marketed as a family-friendly sports-entertainment package.
2. The Lalit Modi Exposé: The Man Who Made the IPL… Then Was Banished
The IPL’s original chairman, Lalit Modi, was a marketing whiz. He made the sport accessible to a worldwide audience by introducing innovations like franchise cricket and player auctions. However, he soon found himself in the heart of accusations of financial impropriety.
Modi was charged with money laundering, financial irregularities, and bid-rigging in 2010. After receiving a BCCI suspension, he eventually ran away to London. He continues to assert that the charges are made for political reasons.
In addition to money, this IPL dispute involved influence, politics, and power in one of the world’s wealthiest sports leagues.
3. Virat Kohli vs Gautam Gambhir: The Verbal War
The IPL has its own soap opera moments, but the United States has seen its fair share of intense sporting rivalries. Two former India teammates, Gautam Gambhir (then KKR, currently LSG mentor) and Virat Kohli (RCB), had a major altercation in 2013 that reappeared in 2023.
A heated argument turned into an altercation on the pitch during an IPL game. The video, which went viral, demonstrated how rivalries between individuals frequently affect franchise cricket.
Even in a gentleman’s game like cricket, tempers may boil, as these IPL disputes demonstrate.
4. The Cheerleader Controversy
Cheerleaders were introduced by the IPL in 2008 to infuse cricket with an American-style sports culture. But it soon became contentious after international cheerleaders said they experienced racial discrimination and inappropriate behavior from officials and supporters.
There was a lot of indignation when two cheerleaders from the UK claimed they were fired because they were Black.
The league was compelled to implement more stringent regulations of conduct and evaluate its cheerleader program.
5. Shah Rukh Khan’s Ban from Wankhede Stadium
Bollywood megastar Shah Rukh Khan, the co-owner of Kolkata Knight Riders, was banned from Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium for five years in 2012 following a scuffle with security staff.
According to the authorities, he was abusive and under the influence. SRK claimed he reacted after his children were “manhandled” by the guards.
It added another layer to the IPL’s reputation for drama that goes far beyond the pitch.
6. Conflict of Interest Allegations
Many top players and officials in the IPL have been embroiled in conflict of interest issues. Legendary cricketer Rahul Dravid was once under scrutiny for being a mentor of Delhi Daredevils while working with the Indian U-19 team.
Several other officials have also faced allegations for holding dual roles — something that would be heavily regulated in American sports leagues like the NFL or NBA.
The line between franchise cricket and national duty is often blurred in the IPL, leading to long-standing governance issues.
7. Player Auction Drama
The IPL auction is one of the most-watched cricket events, but it’s not without controversy. Players, especially from lesser-known cricketing nations, have expressed how the auction process can feel like “being treated like cattle.”
In some years, high-performing players went unsold due to behind-the-scenes lobbying or franchise politics. The emotional toll on players is rarely discussed, but it remains one of the unspoken IPL controversies.
