A look at 5 big controversies in Indian cricket history
What's the story
Team India narrowly escaped one of cricket's biggest upsets against Japan during the recent one-off T20I. The game came down to the wire when Japan needed eight off the last over to chase down India's low total. A controversial wide decision in the final over made headlines. This was the latest in a long list of controversies that have made headlines in Indian cricket.
#1
Match-fixing scandal, 2000
The match-fixing scandal at the turn of the century tarnished Indian cricket like none other.
Delhi Police investigated bookmaker Sanjay Chawla's conversations with South African captain Hansie Cronje, exposing a wider betting network.
While the then-India captain Mohammad Azharuddin received a life ban by the BCCI, Ajay Jadeja was banned for five years.
The scandal severely damaged public trust in the sport.
#2
Ball-tampering row, 2001
The 2001 India-South Africa Test series was embroiled in controversy after match referee Mike Denness took disciplinary action against several Indian players.
Master Blaster Sachin Tendulkar was charged with allegedly tampering with the ball, with several Indian players facing penalties.
The BCCI strongly objected to Denness' decisions, which resulted in his ouster from the third Test. The game was subsequently denied official status.
Tendulkar was later found not guilty of ball-tampering.
#3
The Ganguly-Chappell saga, 2000s
The Sourav Ganguly-Greg Chappell saga during the 2000s became one of cricket's biggest talking points.
Several players, including Ganguly, were unhappy with Chappell's approach as the head coach. After being appointed in 2005, Chappell asked Ganguly to step down as captain.
Ganguly, who was also battered by a dip in batting form, not only lost the captaincy but was also dropped from the team.
Although Ganguly returned in less than a year and Chappell was removed, the episode created divisions within Indian cricket.
#4
Monkeygate, SCG Test, 2008
The 2008 Sydney Test between Australia and India resulted in a courtroom drama.
Australian all-rounder Andrew Symonds accused spinner Harbhajan Singh of directing a racial slur at him during the match. However, the Indian camp rejected the allegation.
Match referee Mike Procter initially imposed a three-Test ban on Harbhajan. While India threatened to reconsider its participation in the tour, an appeal reduced the punishment.
#5
IPL 2013 spot-fixing scandal
The 2013 Indian Premier League (IPL) spot-fixing scandal rocked Indian cricket.
On May 16, Rajasthan Royals players S Sreesanth, Ajit Chandila, and Ankeet Chavan were arrested over allegations of spot-fixing. This led to the BCCI imposing life bans on Sreesanth and Chavan.
The investigation also exposed Chennai Super Kings official Gurunath Meiyappan in betting-related activities.
Although Sreesanth's ban later ended, the scandal threatened IPL's integrity.