IPL Ban: 4 Famous Players Who Were Banned From The League

The Indian Premier League is one of the most popular T20 competitions in the world, where several top-rated cricketers come together and show their skills on the global stage. Where there is massive popularity, there comes strict regulation, and over time, several players have had to bear an IPL Ban due to controversies or rule violations.

IPL Ban: 4 Famous players in the league

1. Ravindra Jadeja

Ravindra Jadeja, one of the IPL’s biggest icons now, received a significant setback early in his career. While playing for Rajasthan Royals in 2008 and 2009, Jadeja held unauthorised discussions with the Mumbai Indians regarding a possible transfer.

At that time, the IPL had strict rules against players negotiating with other franchises without prior formal consent. Upon confirmation of the infraction, then-IPL Commissioner Lalit Modi levied an IPL Ban on Jadeja for the whole 2010 season.

The suspension severely affected his early career, but he later made a strong comeback and went on to become one of the most decorated all-rounders in IPL history.

2. Steve Smith – Ball-Tampering Scandal Leads to IPL Exclusion

Steve Smith is another Australian player who suffered an IPL suspension due to the ball-tampering scandal that occurred at the Cape Town Test match on March 24, 2018, in South Africa.

Steve Smith was one of the players punished for their role in orchestrating this tampering event; he and fellow Australian teammates David Warner and Cameron Bancroft received similar punishments by Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), as indicated in a press release dated April 4, 2018, from BCCI President Rajeev Shukla.

Whereupon, Cricket Australia suspended him for one year, and the BCCI barred him from the IPL 2018, hence forcing him to give up the Rajasthan Royals captaincy for that season. It became one of the biggest scandals in cricket. Smith returned to the IPL in 2019 after the ban was over.

3. Harbhajan Singh – Season-Long IPL Ban After Slapping Sreesanth

In 2008, the first significant incident in the IPL occurred when Mumbai Indians captain Harbhajan Singh slapped Kings XI Punjab bowler S. Sreesanth. This occurred after the match when both players shook hands with each other after the game.

Sreesanth crying during this time was recorded and posted on the web, and while the Disciplinary Committee acted decisively against Harbhajan Singh, he accepted the responsibility for the incident, apologised to Sreesanth, and was handed a one-season suspension from the IPL. This remains one of the most unforgettable controversies in IPL history.

4. Pravin Tambe – Banned from the IPL for Playing in a Foreign League

Pravin Tambe, who gained attention for breaking barriers by playing IPL cricket well into his late 40s, was given an IPL Ban before the IPL 2020 season. Tambe had participated in the UAE T10 League in 2018.

As per BCCI rules, active Indian players cannot take part in overseas T20 leagues. Although Tambe had briefly announced retirement before playing T10 cricket, he later returned to domestic competitions, which was in violation of the eligibility rules. He thus faced disqualification from the tournament by the IPL Governing Council.

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