One of the eight teams in the Indian Premier League (IPL) is the Delhi Capitals, formerly known as Delhi Daredevils. The team has had its share of controversies over the years. Here are the top 5 controversies of Delhi Capitals in IPL held till date:
(1)Ban on Gautam Gambhir: In 2008, Delhi Daredevils captain Gautam Gambhir was banned for four matches after being involved in a physical altercation with Shane Watson of the Rajasthan Royals. Gambhir was fined 50% of his match fee and was also suspended for four matches. The incident took place during a match in Jaipur when Gambhir and Watson collided while attempting a run. Both players exchanged words, and Gambhir pushed Watson, resulting in the altercation.
(2)Kirti Azad’s allegations: In 2009, former Indian cricketer Kirti Azad alleged that Delhi Daredevils’ owners had involved themselves in the selection of the team. Azad claimed that he had sent an email to the BCCI president, seeking an inquiry into the matter.
(3)Dispute between Virender Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir: In 2010, there was a dispute between Delhi Daredevils’ captain Gautam Gambhir and Virender Sehwag over the captaincy of the team. Gambhir was reportedly unhappy with Sehwag’s lack of involvement in team selection and planning. Gambhir eventually left the team in 2011, and Sehwag took over as the captain.
(4)Kevin Pietersen’s tweet controversy: In 2014, Delhi Daredevils’ player Kevin Pietersen was involved in a controversy when he tweeted about the team’s management. Pietersen, who was unhappy with the team’s performance, tweeted that the Delhi Daredevils had “horrible” team management. He also criticized the team’s owners for not supporting the players.
(5)Sandeep Lamichhane’s nationality controversy: In 2019, there was a controversy surrounding the nationality of Delhi Capitals’ player Sandeep Lamichhane. The Nepalese leg-spinner had been playing for the team since 2018. However, it was later revealed that he was not an Indian citizen and had been granted a special status by the BCCI to play in the IPL. The controversy sparked a debate about the eligibility of foreign players in the IPL.
These were some of the controversies Delhi Capitals has been a part of in the IPL history.
