1. The 2013 IPL Spot-Fixing Scandal
What happened
On May 15, 2013, Delhi Police arrested three Rajasthan Royals players — S Sreesanth, Ajit Chandila, and Ankeet Chavan — on charges of spot-fixing during IPL 2013 matches. They were allegedly promised money ranging from US$36,000 to US$109,000 per fix. Spot-fixing is different from match-fixing. It means a player agrees to perform a specific act in a specific moment — like conceding runs in a pre-arranged over — in exchange for money. The match result may not change, but the integrity of individual moments within it does.
What the investigation found
The BCCI suspended all three players immediately. They were later given life bans. Sreesanth’s ban was reduced to seven years on Supreme Court appeal. All three were eventually acquitted of criminal charges by the Patiala House Courts, though BCCI disciplinary proceedings remained separate. The wider investigation also implicated Gurunath Meiyappan, CSK team principal and son-in-law of BCCI president N Srinivasan, on alleged betting links. The Supreme Court appointed the Justice Lodha Committee to decide franchise punishments. In July 2015, the committee suspended CSK and Rajasthan Royals for two IPL seasons, making this controversy one of the biggest off-field chapters connected to the wider IPL winners list. Both returned in 2018.
Why it ranks number one
No other IPL controversy combined criminal arrests, life bans, a Supreme Court investigation, and two franchise suspensions, especially involving teams that later remained important in the race for the most IPL titles won by a team. This changed how the BCCI managed anti-corruption systems permanently.
2. Harbhajan Singh–Sreesanth Slapgate, IPL 2008
What happened
On April 25, 2008, in the IPL’s inaugural season, Mumbai Indians played Kings XI Punjab in Mohali. Punjab won. During the post-match handshake, Mumbai captain Harbhajan Singh allegedly slapped Sreesanth.Sreesanth was seen crying uncontrollably on the field, consoled by teammates. The images went everywhere.
IPL Commissioner Lalit Modi said video footage reviewed by the match referee showed the incident was “totally unprovoked.” The footage showed Harbhajan going along the handshake line, meeting Sreesanth, and slapping him rather than shaking his hand.
The official punishment
Harbhajan received an 11-match ban and lost 100% of his match fee. His coach Lalchand Rajput was fined 50% for failing to intervene. Harbhajan pleaded guilty and both players made a public apology on live television. In 2025, Lalit Modi released previously unseen video footage of the incident. Harbhajan criticised the release and publicly said: “One thing I’d want to change in my life is that incident with Sreesanth. It was wrong, and I shouldn’t have done it.”
Why it ranks number two
Physical contact between two India teammates, during the inaugural season, broadcast live — it set the worst possible early precedent for the league.
3. R Ashwin Mankads Jos Buttler, IPL 2019
What happened
On March 25, 2019, Kings XI Punjab vs Rajasthan Royals in Jaipur. Jos Buttler was batting fluently in RR’s chase of 185. In the 13th over, Ashwin — captaining KXIP — noticed Buttler had backed up too far at the non-striker’s end. Instead of completing his delivery, Ashwin stopped in his stride, turned, and removed the bails. The third umpire confirmed Buttler was out of his crease and declared him run out, making this one of the most debated moments connected to the wider record of most run-outs in IPL history.KXIP won by 14 runs.
Was it legal?
Yes. Cricket law permits a bowler to run out a non-striker who has left the crease before the ball is delivered. Buttler was out of his crease. The dismissal stood.But the MCC — the custodian of cricket’s laws — reviewed the footage and came to a different conclusion about sportsmanship. The MCC’s cricket academy manager Fraser Stewart said: “Ashwin seemed to pause to allow Buttler to go out of his ground… we felt the pause was just too long and therefore not within the spirit of cricket.”
The wider impact
This incident directly changed cricket law. The ICC moved the non-striker run-out from the unfair play section to the regular run-out section in 2022, clarifying it as a legitimate dismissal. A single IPL match forced a formal change to the laws of cricket.Three years later, Ashwin and Buttler actually played together for Rajasthan Royals after the 2022 IPL mega auction.
Why it ranks number three
It was not a disciplinary case. But it forced cricket to answer a question it had avoided for decades — can a legal dismissal still be wrong?
4. MS Dhoni Walks Onto the Field, IPL 2019
What happened
April 11, 2019. CSK vs Rajasthan Royals at Jaipur. CSK chasing 152.In the final over, Dhoni was bowled by Ben Stokes. With 8 runs needed off 3 balls, Stokes bowled a hip-high full toss to Mitchell Santner. On-field umpire Ulhas Gandhe initially raised his arm to signal a no-ball, then overturned the call after consulting leg umpire Bruce Oxenford. What followed had never been seen before at this level. Dhoni — already dismissed and not permitted on the field — stormed out of the dugout and walked directly to the umpires. He was visibly furious, repeatedly gesturing at Gandhe. It took Oxenford’s intervention to persuade him to return to the dugout. CSK still won. Santner hit a six off the last ball.
The official punishment
The IPL fined Dhoni 50% of his match fee. He admitted to the Level 2 offence under Article 2.20 of the IPL Code of Conduct — conduct contrary to the spirit of the game — and accepted the sanction.
The reaction
Former England captain Michael Vaughan said: “No place at all for a captain to storm onto the pitch from the dugout.” Former Australian commentator Michael Slater said he had never seen anything like it.
Why it ranks number four
A dismissed player walking onto a live field to confront umpires is unprecedented at this level. The fact that it was Dhoni — globally known as “Captain Cool” — made the moment impossible to ignore.
5. Kohli–Gambhir–Naveen-ul-Haq, IPL 2023
What happened
May 1, 2023. LSG vs RCB at Lucknow. RCB bowled LSG out for 108, defending 126, to win by 18 runs.During the LSG innings, Kohli and Naveen-ul-Haq were involved in a heated on-field exchange. Umpires and Amit Mishra had to step in.Things escalated further during the post-match handshakes.Kohli and Naveen exchanged words again while shaking hands. When LSG batter Kyle Mayers went to speak to Kohli, LSG mentor Gautam Gambhir stepped in and pulled Mayers away before directly confronting Kohli himself. Videos from multiple angles went viral immediately.
The official punishment
The IPL released statements the next morning.Virat Kohli — 100% of his match fee. Level 2 breach, Article 2.21 of the IPL Code of Conduct. Gautam Gambhir — 100% of his match fee. Same Level 2 breach. Naveen-ul-Haq — 50% of his match fees. Level 1 breach of the same article. All three admitted to their offences. Kohli later wrote to BCCI officials saying he felt he had said nothing wrong and expressing disappointment at the fine.Sunil Gavaskar publicly questioned whether fines were enough, asking: “What exactly is a 100 per cent match fee?” — suggesting match bans were more appropriate.
Why it ranks number five
It involved three players, required on-field umpire intervention mid-match, and escalated into a post-match confrontation involving two of Indian cricket’s biggest names. The incident overshadowed a match result completely.
Honourable Mentions
These did not make the top five but are still part of IPL’s controversial history.
- hah Rukh Khan, Wankhede Stadium, 2012: KKR co-owner allegedly clashed with security staff after a match, adding an unusual off-field chapter to the history of Wankhede Stadium IPL records. The Mumbai Cricket Association banned him from Wankhede for five years. The ban was eventually lifted.
- Mitchell Starc vs Kieron Pollard, IPL 2014: Pollard edged a Starc delivery into his pad and removed it with his bat before a fielder could catch it. He was not given out but the incident raised questions about deliberate obstruction.
- Kieron Pollard tape-mouth protest, IPL 2015: Pollard taped his own mouth on the field to protest an umpiring decision — a direct act of dissent that led to official discussion about player conduct limits.
- Yusuf Pathan obstructing the field, IPL 2013: Pathan used his hand to stop the ball from hitting his stumps and was given out obstructing the field. One of the rarest dismissals in IPL history.
- Shashank Singh auction confusion, IPL 2024: Punjab Kings accidentally bid above their budget for Shashank Singh and had to retain him at the erroneous price. The confusion raised questions about auction protocol clarity.
What These Controversies Tell Us About the IPL
The IPL is the world’s biggest T20 league. Its growth has been extraordinary. But every major controversy on this list exposed a gap — in player conduct, in anti-corruption systems, or in officiating clarity.
- The 2013 scandal forced structural change: Anti-corruption protocols tightened significantly. Franchise ownership came under much closer scrutiny.
- The conduct incidents — Harbhajan, Dhoni, Kohli, Gambhir: share one consistent thread: elite competition under extreme pressure sometimes produces behaviour that no fine alone can fully prevent. The question each time is whether the punishment matched the offence.
- The Ashwin-Buttler case had the most lasting impact on cricket itself: A single IPL dismissal triggered a formal change to the laws of cricket in 2022. That is a real and permanent legacy.The IPL’s long-term credibility depends on one thing more than entertainment value: consistent, transparent enforcement of the rules it sets for everyone — players, captains, coaches, and franchise officials alike.