India vs South Africa 2019: 5 Biggest Controversies From The Past

Another exciting India -South Africa series is on the cards when the three-match T20I series kicks off on September 15 (Sunday). The Proteas will also play three Tests after the T20Is as a part of the ICC World Test Championship.

The previous series’ between India and South Africa have given enough reason to hold the chairs tight and watch the games keenly. From last over finishes to eye-catching duels between cricketers of both the teams, there have been no shortage of excitements.

Meanwhile, along with these, there have been many controversies which have rocked the bilateral series between India and South Africa.

We at Cricket Addictor will take a look at five biggest controversies from the previous bilateral series between India and South Africa:

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Kanpur pitch under scanner during the 2008 tour

The Green Park Stadium in Kanpur came under the scanner during the third Test between India and South Africa in 2008. The match 32 wickets fell within day three as India levelled the series 1-1 from being 1-0 down.

Soon after that, the wicket came under ICC’s scanner. Proteas coach Micky Arthur alleged the track was one of the most under-prepared in the world. Match referee Roshan Mahanama also submitted his match-report to the apex body expressing his concern over the pitch.

The match-referee from Sri Lanka rated the turf as poor.

Sachin Tendulkar found guilty of ball-tampering

The second Test between India and South Africa in 2001 will be remembered as one of the most controversial matches ever. Match referee Mike Denness accused six Indian cricketers of various offences. It included Sachin Tendulkar found guilty of ball-tampering.

Tendulkar was fined 75 percent of his match fee and handed a ban for a Test. International Cricket Council (ICC) faced severe wrath from the cricket-mad Indian public soon after that. This sparked outrage in India and the matter was even raised in India’s parliament. Denness was termed racist and many accused ICC of discriminating against India.

Following public backlash, the ICC reversed the decision and gave a clean chit to Tendulkar.

Hansie Cronje’s admits to match-fixing 

On April 7 2000, Delhi police charge Hansie Cronje with fixing South Africa’s ODIs against India in March for money. This was one of the earliest incidents of match-fixing which rocked the cricketing world. The then South Africa skipper Cronje denied receiving any sum of money during the one-day international series in India.

Later on, Cronje acknowledges receiving $10,000 to 15,000 for “providing information and forecast but not match-fixing” during the one-day series in India. Cricket South Africa immediately sacked him from the role.

Cronje’s teammate Herschelle Gibbs revealed that Cronje had offered him $15,000 to score less than 20 runs in the 5th ODI against India at Nagpur. He also admitted $15,000 was offered to Henry Williams to concede more than 50 runs in that same match.

The cricketer, who announced his retirement soon after also revealed that former India captain Mohammad Azharuddin had introduced him to a bookie who offered him money to fix games. Cronje died two years later at the age of 32 in a plane crash.

Greg Chappell showing the middle finger to fans

The fight between former India skipper Sourav Ganguly and former coach Greg Chappell is not something new to the Indian cricket fans. Chappell had a major role in Ganguly’s sacking as the skipper of the game. Eventually, the selectors dropped Ganguly from the ODI squad against South Africa owing to poor performances in 2005.

The decision didn’t go down well with cricket fans mainly from Kolkata. When the Indian team arrived at Eden Gardens in Calcutta for the third ODI of the series, an angry crowd greeted the team bus, chanting and waving banners with anti-Chappell slogans.

Chappell had then reportedly shown the middle finger to the crowd which was then captured in the camera. The angry fans booed the Indian batsmen throughout the match and cheered for the South African team, who won the match by ten wickets.

Kapil Dev mankading Peter Kirsten

On December 9, 1992, the “Friendship Series” between India and South Africa in the Rainbow Nation took an unfriendly turn when Kapil Dev ‘Mankaded’ South African batsman Peter Kirsten.

Defending a small total of 147 runs, Kapil Dev, who was sharing the new ball with Manoj Prabhakar, mankaded Kirsten to provide the second breakthrough for India. Kapil knocked off the bails at the non-striker’s end, turned back and gave the umpire a convincing look before showing the batsman his road to the dressing room.

Notably, Kapil had warned the batsman twice before getting him out on the third time. The incident created a lot of spur as many feel this is not very sportsmanlike behaviour although it falls in the periphery of the ICC ruling.

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