Five Biggest Controversies In IPL 2020

The 2020 edition of the Indian Premier League [IPL] had its fair share of everything. It had damp squibs,; it had cliffhangers; it had some of the greatest fielding efforts one will ever see; it had Super-Overs; Lots of Super Overs. It also had its fair share of controversies.

The IPL is a highly competitive environment. With the best players of the planet locking horns against each other to win the ultimate prize, mistakes get amplified leading to tempers getting flared to pave way for a huge controversy.

So, without further ado, here’s a look at some of the most controversial moments from IPL 2020:

Suresh Raina’s pulls out from the IPL

The Chennai Super Kings endured a forgettable IPL 2020 campaign and the writing was pretty much on the wall even before the first ball of the season was delivered.

Raina, who has been the fulcrum of CSK’s batting-unit over the years, pulled out of the 13th edition after the contingent got plagued by a coronavirus.

As many as 13 members of CSK’s bio-bubble including two players in Deepak Chahar and Ruturaj Gaikwad got infected with Covid-19, post which the southpaw returned to India citing the negative effect on the mental health of staying in a bio-bubble and Covid threat after its proliferation in the camp.

The matter did not end here though. Soon N Srinivasan, the owner of the Chennai Super Kings, gave an interview where he lambasted Raina for throwing a tantrum on not getting a balcony in his room like captain MS Dhoni.

A huge controversy broke out on a possible rift between Raina and MS Dhoni following Srinivasan’s comments but the CSK owner made a U-turn the very next day, stating that his statement was taken out of context.

Raina too clarified that the reason behind him pulling out of the tournament was personal and that there was no rift between him, MSD, and the owners.

“It was a personal decision and I had to come back for my family. There was something that needed to be addressed immediately at the home front,” the left-hander said of his decision to leave the CSK camp in the UAE.

“CSK is my family too and Mahi bhai (MS Dhoni) is most important to me and this was a tough decision but with the family back home, I had to come back for them. He is like a father figure for me and he’s always stood by me and is close to my heart, he treats me like his younger son and am sure a lot is taken out of context. He didn’t know the reason earlier and its all settled,” Raina had clarified

Also Read- IPL 2020: Flop XI Of The Tournament

Sunil Gavaskar’s statement on Anushka Sharma gets taken out of context

Virat Kohli, just like a majority of the batsman, struggled with their timing in the initial part of the IPL due to a lack of match practice in the preceding months thanks to lockdown restrictions enforced by Covid-19.

The only practice that Virat had done during the lockdown was on Anushka Sharma’s bowling on his flat’s terrace. The video of the same was shared by a fan on Twitter.

Finally after soo much long time saw Virat Batting ?
Virat Anushka playing cricket in building today?
Anushka bowls a Bouncer to Virat?#ViratKohli #AnushkaSharma #Cricket pic.twitter.com/XFmfs3hiBt

— Virarsh (@Cheeku218) May 15, 2020

Sunil Gavaskar made the same point when he said- ‘Kohli has only faced bowled by Anushka in the lockdown- while explaining the reasons behind his rustiness while commenting during an RCB vs KXIP encounter earlier in the season.

https://twitter.com/vishalghandat1/status/1309401135602569216

Little that Mr. Gavaskar knew that someone on social media would twist his statement and post it on his Twitter handle. The tweet spread like wildfire, so much so, that Anushka Sharma posted a long note on her account where she slammed the former Indian opener for the statement that he never made.

It was an unfortunate turn of event where the respected cricketer had to come out in the open and clarify his position thanks to a misquote by a nameless troll and the reluctance of the media and the ‘feminists’ to first cross-check the facts before attacking a person of the stature of Sunil Gavaskar for something that he never did.

”It showed in the rustiness of some of the players in their first matches. Rohit (Sharma) didn’t strike the ball well, now in the second match he has got runs, MSD (Mahendra Singh Dhoni) didn’t strike the ball well in the first match.” He then explained: “…..Anushka was bowling to him, so that’s what I said, that’s the only bowling, I have not used any other word. I have not been sexist, if somebody has interpreted it, what can I do,” Gavaskar said in his defence.

Aakash Chopra-Jimmy Neesham engage in a ‘war of words’ on Twitter

Remember the war of words that broke out between commentator Sanjay Manjrekar and all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja after the former had termed the spin-bowling all-rounder as a ‘bits and pieces’ cricketer?

Post Manjrekar’s comment, Jadeja had taken to his Twitter account where he literally ‘shred’ the former Indian cricketer into bits and pieces, accusing him of ‘verbal diarrhea” besides reminding him of his own career numbers.

Well! A similar sort of thing happened during this years’ IPL between Aakash Chopra and KXIP all-rounder James Neesham.

Chopra had expressed his displeasure via a video on his official Youtube channel on KXIP’s decision to continuously play James Neesham in the playing XI, adding that the latter was not a match-winner

When pointed by a fan on Twitter, Nesesham retaliated with disdain.

He wrote– “Averaging 18.5 and striking at 90 doesn’t win many matches either,” while mocking the IPL career of Aakash Chopra.

Averaging 18.5 striking at 90 doesn’t win many matches either ???? https://t.co/qNmotRL0WT

— Jimmy Neesham (@JimmyNeesh) October 3, 2020

As always, Aakash Chopra was ever-so humble in his reply-

Correct my friend. That’s why nobody picks me anymore. I get paid for doing something else ?? I’m glad that you don’t have an issue with my observations but with my cricket stats. Go well for the rest of the #IPL. https://t.co/FFuYAyFtMZ

— Aakash Chopra (@cricketaakash) October 3, 2020

Paul Reiffel pulls off the iconic SRK pose

What’s an IPL without some Umpiring howlers? The 2020 season had its fair share of it, but nothing Paul Reiffel retracting from his original decision of giving a wide following the displeasure shown by MS Dhoni.

It all happened during the penultimate over of the game between CSK and SRH when Shardul Thakur bowled a delivery which was clearly past the wide trampline, paving way for Reiffel to stretch his arms to signal the wide.

But following displeasure from a visibly angry MS Dhoni, the former Australian cricketer-turned match-official reversed his decision, much to the bewilderment of everyone. One positive thing from the entire saga though was got to know that Paul Reiffel is quite a fan of SRK’s iconic pose.

Nevertheless, not only MS Dhoni was criticized by one and all for influencing the decision but Paul Reiffel was also lambasted for buckling down under pressure.

The short-run saga

Another Umpiring howler that raked up a huge controversy in IPL 2020 was when square-leg official Nitin Menon thought that KXIP batsman Chris Jordan hadn’t grounded his bat behind the popping crease before taking off for the second run in the penultimate over of his sides’ run-chase of 158 against the Delhi Capitals.

Menon adjudged it as a ‘1 run short’ before the replays clearly showed that it was clearly his misjudgment as Jordan had indeed grounded his bat behind the crease. It wouldn’t have mattered in the larger context of the game had KXIP completed the one elusive run they needed off the last three balls of the final over.

I travelled enthusiastically during a pandemic,did 6 days of Quarantine & 5covid tests with a smile but that one Short Run hit me hard. What’s the point of technology if it cannot be used? It’s time @BCCI introduces new rules.This cannot happen every year. #DCvKXIP @lionsdenkxip https://t.co/uNMXFJYfpe

— Preity G Zinta (@realpreityzinta) September 21, 2020

They didn’t as Mayank Agarwal and Chris Jordan got dismissed paving way for a Super-Over, which was eventually won by Delhi Capitals thanks to Kagiso Rabada’s brilliance. And, all hell broke loose after the game as KXIP co-owner Preity Zinta proceeded to take to her social media accounts to vent her anger against the decision besides calling for the use of technology in such instances.

I’ve always believed in being graceful in a win or loss & in the spirit of the game but it’s also important to ask for policy changes that improve the game in the future for everyone. The past has happened and it’s imp to move on. So Looking ahead & being positive as always ?

— Preity G Zinta (@realpreityzinta) September 21, 2020