Have you know about the biggest fights in IPL history. IPL is one of the most prominent leagues around the globe. We all witnessed the thrilling finishes, some spectacular catches, mind-blowing spells, and unexpected shots. But in some instances, we also saw few hot battles between players. Those battles turn into rifts and remain ugly splats in this rich cash league. So in this article, we were going to look at the top 5 most significant fights in IPL history.
Top 5 Biggest Fights In IPL History
5. Sourav Ganguly vs Shane Warne
The clash between the two legendary players in the first season of the IPL became a hot topic. In addition, the controversy has raised many doubts about the IPL fair play. In a league fuse between Rajasthan Royals and Kolkata Knight Riders, played on May 1, 2008, in Jaipur, Rajasthan batted first and posted a massive total of 196 runs. In the chase, then KKR captain Sourav Ganguly led the team towards the target.
However, Ganguly pulled the last ball towards the deep mid-wicket in the 13th over off Yusuf Pathan. But he didn’t connect well. As a result, deep mid-wicket fielder Graeme Smith ran towards the ball and plucked a meager catch. Rajasthan players started celebrating, but Ganguly hasn’t convinced with that catch. He went to the on-field umpire and complained that the catch was not clean. The on-field umpire then referred to the TV umpire to check whether it was a fair catch or not. The TV umpire, who reviewed the trap at all possible camera angles, declared Ganguly was not out as the benefit of the doubt.
Impatient Shane Warne got into an argument with the umpire. Also, Warne targeted Ganguly and commented that justice would one day prevail. All these words did record on the stump mic, and Ganguly was out for the last ball of Warne’s next over. Eventually, Kolkata lost the match by 45 runs.
However, in the post-match conference, Shane Warne said, “I was disappointed because we signed that wall about the spirit of cricket in Bangalore. An international captain like Graeme Smith said it was a clean catch, and Rudy agreed. The players are not allowed to ask the umpire to refer a dismissal to the third umpire. But, Sourav asked the Indian umpire to go for a TV replay”.
Ganguly later responded, “Is it against the spirit of cricket to complain about a dropped catch? He has no moral right to speak about the spirit of cricket. And I told the umpire that was a dropped catch, not ask him to refer the third umpire”. It was not the first time the two had clashed. Earlier in international cricket, they had insulted each other many times. After the match, the match referee decided to deduct 10 percent of the match fees of both the players for violating the cricket code. It remains one of the biggest verbal fights in IPL history.
4. Kieron Pollard vs Mitchel Starc
It was known as one of the high voltage fights in IPL. On May 6, 2014, in a league match between Royal Challengers Bangalore and Mumbai Indians, Starc and Pollard shocked the cricket world. Mumbai Indians, who batted first in this match, consistently excel and progress towards a big score. But a high voltage incident occurred in the 17th over of innings which Starc bowled. Starc bowled a sharp bouncer for the fourth ball of the over. However, Pollard, who tried to hook, completely missed it.
Mitchell Starc just lost his calmness and started sledging at Pollard. Pollard gestured go and bowl replied in his style. Starc started the runup to bowl the next ball. However, when he approached at bowling crease, Pollard moved his left and signaled I was not ready to play the ball. But Starc did not stop his bowling and threw the ball towards Pollard’s legs. With this, Pollard lost his temper and threw his bat towards Starc. But luckily bat was slipped from his hand at the last minute and hit the ground right there. Otherwise, the situation that day would have been different.
The fans, along with the players, were shocked to see the incident. However, the umpire and Chris Gayle approached Pollard and cooled him. With this, the fight subsided. However, the match referee decided to deduct 75 percent of the match fee from Pollard and 50 percent from Starc for behaving adversely to the IPL code on the field. Pollard is no stranger to clashes in the IPL. Many times he clashed with many players on the field. But he showed more of his anger in this incident than all of them. It was one of the most shocking fights in IPL history.
3. Harbhajan Singh vs Ambati Rayudu
The 29th league match between Mumbai Indians and Rising Pune Supergiants was played on May 1, 2016, at Pune. Mumbai won the toss and was elected to field. However, the Pune batsman was batting well and ticking the scoreboard quickly. Meanwhile, some unexpected thing happened in the 11th over of the innings. Saurabh Tiwary pulled the fourth ball of the over towards the deep mid-wicket. Ambati Rayudu, fielding at that region, tried to stop the ball with a reasonable diving effort. But unfortunately, the ball went on to hit the boundary rope.
However, the bowler Harbhajan Singh got impatient and started abusing Rayudu. Rayudu also cursed Bhajji without backing down. The two approached each other angrily in such a way as they fought with each other. Watching the live-action, I was scared that they would fight. It will be one of the worst fights in IPL if they beat each other. But the senior player Harbhajan Singh understood the situation and tried to make Rayudu cool. But Rayudu showed his impatience and walked away angrily from there.
If you watch this incident live, you will understand how serious the two of them became. Two years later, in an interview, Rayudu was asked about the same thing and said, “I am very ashamed of the incident, and I have apologized to Bhajji Bhai many times.” Bhajji also responded positively in the same interview, saying, “I should have understood Rayudu’s effort as a senior player. But I angrily scolded him. There was something wrong with me.” However, it is unfortunate that two players from the same team lost their minds on the field. It remains one of the ugly fights in IPL history.
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2. Goutham Gambhir vs Virat Kohli
In a league match between KKR and RCB on April 11, 2013 RCB team consistently excels and moves towards the target. But RCB captain Virat Kohli, who batted superbly, got out for the first ball of the tenth over by Balaji. Virat tried to play a massive shot towards the sweeper cover, but Morgan caught him. With this, the bowler and the rest of the KKR team members celebrate in the cover region.
However, Kohli was a little impatient with the bowler, who took his wicket as he walked towards the KKR team rather than the pavilion. After seeing his team bowler abused by Kohli, KKR captain Gautam Gambhir angrily execrated Virat Kohli. Both have come across with complete aggression, and it looks like they were going to fight with each other. But Rajit Bhatia noticed this and separated the two without clashing. The umpires and the rest of the players then pulled them back and calmed the situation. If Bhatia had not responded promptly, the two of them would beat each other.
However, it was a sensation when two players from the same country, playing for the same state team Delhi, got into an altercation on the field. Kohli asked at a post-match conference on the subject, and then he said, “Whatever happened, happened.” In the same conference, Gambhir also said, “In that heated moment, it happened that way we forgot on the field.”
Another Delhi player Rajit Bhatia, who recently responded to the same issue, said, “Who would have guessed that it would happen that day? The aggression of the two was so high. It was so unfortunate that they could not control their anger that day. It was an unfortunate incident. But in fact, they were both very friendly.” It is a well-known fact that when Virat Kohli scored his maiden century in 2009, Gambhir gave his Man of the Match award to Virat Kohli. But no true Indian cricket fan can digest that two players from their country get into an altercation on the field like this. It was one of the most bitter fights in IPL history.
1. Harbhajan Singh vs Sreesanth
The clash, which took place in the first season of the IPL, caused a bustle because no one could have imagined that the two leading players of Team India at that time would clash like this. The incident took place as a league match between Mumbai Indians and Kings XI Punjab. Harbhajan Singh became the captain of the Mumbai Indians that season due to Sachin’s injury, but with a series of defeats, Bhajji came under intense pressure.
Kings XI Punjab beat the Mumbai Indians comfortably. But Shockingly, Bhajji slapped Sreesanth in front of everyone during handshakes after the match. There is no video footage of this. But after the incident, Sreesanth was seen crying, and an angry Bhajji appeared on the screen. Harbhajan Singh admitted his guilt, and the BCCI banned him for the entire season also banned him from playing 5 ODIs for the Indian Cricket team. In addition, the board warned him that he would impose a lifetime ban if Bhajji were involved in such clashes once again. The two players never opened their mouths over this incident.
But Sreesanth talked about the fight while doing a task at Bigg Boss house a decade later and described what happened that day. “The Mumbai Indians did not start the season well under Harbhajan’s captaincy. With that, the Mumbai fans hoped that they would win the match against us that day. Also, Harbhajan is under more pressure as he plays that match in his home ground Chandigarh. Bhajji and me playing for India together, but I am constantly having fun with him”.
“Even that day when Harbhajan came to bat, I was annoyed with him. With this, Harbhajan could not control his anger when we faced each other after the match. He did not slap me, though, but he beat me with his fists on my face from the backside of his hand. I was shocked and could not believe that Bhajji would do that”, Sreesanth said. Harbhajan has not yet commented on this incident. Anyway, it is unfortunate that such incidents take place in cricket, no matter what. For me, it was one of the most bitter fights in IPL history.
