Top 5 Biggest Fights in Indian Cricket History

Cricket is one of the largest sports globally, demanding a unique kind of talent to excel at the international level. Firstly, identifying the right talent is an arduous task, and moreover, sustaining that talent over many years necessitates a higher level of commitment. Due to the immense pressure involved, talented teammates occasionally find themselves embroiled in arguments that can escalate into ugly fights.

In this situation, maturity and commitment towards the team and country help the players to calm themselves down. Over the past few decades, Indian cricket has witnessed a huge pool of talented players. It has also witnessed some ugly fights on the field.

In this article, we have covered the top 5 biggest fights that made headlines in the Indian sub-continent.

1) Sunil Gavaskar and Kapil Dev

The 1970s marked a pivotal period for Indian cricket with the introduction of Sunil Gavaskar, one of the most gifted cricketers from the Indian subcontinent. In 1978, Kapil Dev emerged as another highly influential and immensely talented player who eventually led the team to victory in the 1983 World Cup.

However, a clash arose between them when a captaincy switch occurred, and Gavaskar expressed strong opposition to the decision. This led to a strained relationship between the two, resulting in visible miscommunication on the field. Fortunately, both Gavaskar and Kapil Dev later dismissed the rumours, and they now enjoy a cordial relationship as two prominent figures in Indian cricket.

2) Ravindra Jadeja and Suresh Raina

Suresh Raina and Ravindra Jadeja are renowned for their commitment to Indian cricket. However, a notable incident occurred during a match against West Indies in 2013 when an on-field argument broke out between them. The altercation took place after Raina dropped a catch off Jadeja’s bowling.

Ravindra Jadeja, losing his composure, approached Raina while exchanging words with the middle-order batsman. In response, Raina retaliated, and the visible anger on both players’ faces created an unsightly scene on the field. Other members of Team India intervened to pacify the situation and diffuse tensions between Raina and Jadeja.

3) Virat Kohli and Gautam Gambhir

In 2013, an unsightly incident took place during an IPL match between Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) and Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). Virat Kohli and Gautam Gambhir, captains of their respective teams, were under immense pressure during the game.

After Kohli was dismissed, Gambhir whispered something to him, sparking a heated exchange that continues to have repercussions even today. Kohli did not take it lightly and immediately responded to the KKR skipper, leading to a heated argument on the field.

Rajat Bhatia, who was part of the KKR team at the time, had to intervene and mediate between the two players to restore calm. The animosity between Kohli and Gambhir has persisted, making it a lingering rivalry.

4) Harbhajan Singh & S Sreesanth

This on-field clash between Harbhajan Singh and S Sreesanth will go down the history books of IPL. India’s spin maestro was leading Mumbai Indians in 2008 due to Sachin’s absence because of an injury. After a clash between Punjab Kings and Mumbai Indians, during the routine handshake, Harbhajan Singh slapped S Sreesanth because he was continuously irritating the players during the match. Sreesanth even said something to Harbhajan when the latter came to bat.

5) MS Dhoni and Virender Sehwag

MS Dhoni has been the most successful captain of Indian cricket. When he was chosen by the BCCI to lead team India, the young skipper always preferred young players in the team. After a successful run in the 2011 World Cup, Dhoni wanted young players to prepare the team for the next tournament. Skipper wanted to ignore Sehwag for the future aspects which didn’t go well with the latter and the rift between the two began.