Sat Mar 22 03:10:00 UTC 2025: ## IPL 2025: A Look Back at the League’s Most Controversial Moments

**New Delhi, [Date]** – The Indian Premier League (IPL) is set to kick off its 18th season on March 22nd, 2025, with the final match scheduled for May 25th. Kolkata Knight Riders and Royal Challengers Bangalore will face off in the opening match at Eden Gardens. While anticipation builds for the 74 matches across 65 days, the league’s history is as much defined by its controversies as its thrilling gameplay.

Five major scandals have marred the IPL’s legacy:

* **Lalit Modi’s Dismissal:** The IPL’s founder and former chairman, Lalit Modi, was ousted after three seasons amid allegations of financial irregularities, including questionable team auctions and broadcasting deals. He remains a fugitive from Indian justice, currently residing in Vanuatu.

* **Harbhajan Singh and S. Sreesanth’s Altercation:** During the 2013 season, a heated on-field argument between Harbhajan Singh and S. Sreesanth resulted in Singh slapping Sreesanth. Singh received a ban for the remainder of the season and five additional ODI matches. Despite the incident, the two players are now reportedly friends.

* **Ravindra Jadeja’s Contract Breach:** Star all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja faced a one-year ban for secretly negotiating a contract with Mumbai Indians while still under contract with Rajasthan Royals.

* **2013 Spot-Fixing Scandal:** The 2013 season was rocked by a major spot-fixing and betting scandal involving Rajasthan Royals players S. Sreesanth, Ankit Chavan, and Ajit Chandila. All three received lifetime bans from the BCCI. The scandal also resulted in two-year bans for Chennai Super Kings and Rajasthan Royals.

* **Kohli-Gambhir Feuds:** High-profile clashes between Virat Kohli and Gautam Gambhir have added to the IPL’s dramatic narrative, with multiple on and off-field confrontations making headlines. A recent incident involving Kohli, Gambhir, and Lucknow Super Giants bowler Naveen-ul-Haq further highlights the intense rivalries within the league.

The upcoming IPL season promises excitement, but the controversies that have shaped the league’s past will undoubtedly continue to be a part of its ongoing narrative.

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