The IPL has been no stranger to controversies and scandals that have hogged endless hours on primetime television
ESPNcricinfo staff25-Mar-20171. IPL betting : An “enthusiast” takes down CSK, 2013Gurunath Meiyappan’s arrest on charges of “cheating, forgery and fraud” has possibly been the most serious and damning setback the IPL has suffered in its history. Meiyappan, a top official with Chennai Super Kings and son-in-law of then BCCI president N Srinivasan, was arrested for betting against his side in a match against Rajasthan Royals. Srinivasan then put a different spin on it, calling Meiyappan just a “cricket enthusiast”, who was nothing more than an honorary member of the franchise.In the course of the investigation, Royals owner Raj Kundra also confessed to betting in matches involving his franchise, and it all ended with both franchises receiving a two-year ban from the tournament, starting from the 2016 season.2. Kochi’s end kickstarts Lalit Modi’s expulsion, 2010In April 2010, Lalit Modi revealed the shareholding pattern of Kochi Tuskers Kerala with a series of strongly worded tweets, alleging how Shashi Tharoor, who at that point was a minister in the Congress government, facilitated the franchise’s bid and accused him of conflict of interest. One accusation led to another, and soon, Tharoor was forced to resign from his post in the government. It would also send Modi into a downward spiral of his own, after he was found guilty of rigging bids, apart from a host of other charges pressed against him by a special disciplinary committee set up by the BCCI.3. Sahara’s many withdrawals: Auction-morning antics and Pune Warriors’ ouster, 2012-13 After just one season in the IPL, Sahara, the promoters of the Pune Warriors franchise, who were then also the sponsors of the Indian team, pulled out an hour ahead of the supplementary auction in 2012, over disagreements on player retention rules and the number of matches that were promised to them over the course of a season. Sahara’s disputes with the IPL were long-standing, including their claim that a bid in 2008 was “thwarted” by the board. After multiple attempts at a truce between both parties, the BCCI encashed the franchise’s bank guarantee and ousted them from the IPL after two seasons in the tournament.4. “Thanks. You are most sweet” : the Freddie purchase, 2012Nearly two years after his expulsion from the tournament that was his brainchild, Lalit Modi had made it a habit to break behind-the-scenes events during his tenure through regular tweet-storms and appearances on national television. One of these related to the sale of Andrew Flintoff to Chennai Super Kings in the 2009 auction, which he said he was “arm-twisted to allow” by N Srinivasan , the then BCCI secretary and managing director of the franchise’s owners India Cements. E-mails exchanged between the duo revealed how Modi successfully held off Rajasthan Royals from bidding for Flintoff, to which Srinivasan replied, “Thanks. You are most sweet. Srini.”Sreesanth arrives in Ahmedabad for a meeting regarding the Harbhajan Singh slapping incident•AFP5. Harbhajan Singh slaps Sreesanth, 2008In what was among the first ever “gates” in the IPL, Harbhajan Singh was banned from the IPL for 11 games, after footage showed he had slapped Sreesanth without any provocation whatsoever. The duo embraced at the end of their hearing, and Harbhajan did not appeal against the ban. However, it has occasionally resurfaced, when the Kerala fast bowler accused Harbhajan of being a “backstabbing person”, in a series of tweets in 2013.6. Shah Rukh Khan’s lock-out from the Wankhede, 2012 Claims, counter-claims and good old speculation – cricket and Bollywood fully enmeshed themselves when Shah Rukh Khan was banned from entering the Wankhede stadium for five years, after his scuffle with security guards. The Mumbai Cricket Association alleged that Khan was “drunk and abused officials” before entering the ground without accreditation after an IPL game between Kolkata Knight Riders and Mumbai Indians. Four years later, he was given a clean chit, after a Mumbai police investigation declared that no “cognisable offence” had taken place.7. The “rockstar” is banned : Jadeja goes looking for trouble, 2010After two seasons in the IPL representing Rajasthan Royals, Ravindra Jadeja was accused of trying to secure a deal with another franchise between seasons. The confusion was over when his agreement with Royals had ended – Jadeja later appealed that it had ended on December 31, 2009 – and his plea was subsequently dismissed. He was then signed by Kochi Tuskers Kerala in 2011, after missing out a full season in between.8. Asif’s other ban : out for steroids, 2009Over a year before his spot fixing ban, Mohammad Asif was found to have tested positive for nandrolone during the tournament’s inaugural edition in 2008. He had already been released by his side, Delhi Daredevils, and remained suspended by the Pakistan Cricket Board as well. While the announcement came in February 2009, he was handed a one-year ban effective retrospectively from September 22, 2008, the date when the IPL had imposed the suspension order.Sri Lankan cricketers were banned from playing matches at the MA Chidambaram stadium in 2013•Getty Images9. Politics in cricket : No Sri Lankans in Chennai, 2013Political developments at both the central and state levels forced 13 Sri Lankan stars in the IPL to be banned from playing IPL games hosted in Chennai. This was a result of multiple events in the lead up to the 2013 season, related to alleged atrocities towards ethnic Tamils in Sri Lanka. While all franchises eventually agreed to lose a player or two for one game rather than the whole tournament, the ban was predictably not received well by Sri Lanka’s political elite, including former captain Arjuna Ranatunga, who urged his countrymen to boycott the IPL.10. Sreesanth, the towel and the life ban, 2013In the middle of IPL 2013, Delhi Police announced that they had arrested Sreesanth, Ajit Chandila and Ankeet Chavan – all Rajasthan Royals players – for allegedly fulfilling promises made to bookmakers for money ranging from US$36,000 to 109,000 for each over. Sreesanth, it was alleged, had made a signal to ask for a towel for his second over in a match against Kings XI Punjab, before conceding 13 runs in an over in which he had promised to give away 14. He has since been acquitted by a Delhi court, and has ventured into politics and acting, while remaining banned by the BCCI.
