The top 5 most violent fights in Indian Cricket History: When ugly altercations disturb the atmosphere of a game, it is questioned whether cricket can be called a gentleman’s sport. There are many reasons why players lose their temper on and off the pitch.
Sports are exciting, the banter between players is entertaining to read and watch, as are the dramatics and shocking revelations. Cricket is a sport that has seen it all in recent years.
To say that cricketers only engage in unproductive behaviors during this time is perhaps an exaggeration. Some stories have been told by people who witnessed or heard of fights between players that were not reported in the media. There was no social networking during the early days of Indian cricket, so the media could not pay attention to the small details. The match remained the main topic for discussion among the fans.
Now, it is not uncommon to hear about players from different or the same country engaging in unforgiving behavior that reflects badly on them and the sport itself. Some players are very cool and don’t react to anything less important than their game. Some players are just too aggressive and can’t keep their emotions in check. They let them out on the field.
Over the years in Indian cricket there have been many fights between players. Rumors, banter, and mistakes on the field led to altercations. Below are five famous fights between players.
Top five biggest fights in Indian Cricket History
1. Mohammad Azharuddin Navjot Sidhu
Navjot Sidhu & Mohammad Azharuddin
Navjot Sidhu decided to return to India in 1996 without any explanation. Sidhu was angry at the then-captain Mohammad Azharuddin, though there is no official report. Jaywant Lele revealed after many years that Sidhu was not happy with Azharuddin for his constant use of abusive language.
“Sidhu told me he was very upset, and he decided that it was not acceptable! He hadn’t come to the tour to hear the captain abuse him. He was upset so he left the team quietly,” Lele wrote.
2. Ravindra J. Jadeja and Suresh R. Raina
Ravindra Jadeja, Suresh Raina
In 2013, Raina and Jadeja got into a heated debate during a tri series tournament. Raina, considered to be one of India’s top fielders, was playing West Indies at the time when he dropped a catch from Jadeja. Jadeja and Raina had an explosive moment shortly after. Raina was later seen placing an arm around Jadeja, which helped to ease the tension.
3. Hardik Pandya & Ravindra Jadeja
Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja
Hardik Pandya was a hero in the final of the 2017 Champions Trophy between India and Pakistan. He chased a huge target of 339 while playing like a warrior. Pandya was fuming after a miscommunication with Ravindra Jadeja. He swung the bat and walked back to his dressing room.
Pandya, who was angry with Jadeja at the time, later apologized. “People don’t know this,” he told Cricbuzz at the time. What I did was all part of the game. Jaddu was on the plane when I apologized to him. I felt very bad. I was naive. India was bowled out in 158 runs.
4. MS Dhoni & Virender Sehwag
MS Dhoni, Virender Sehwag
Although there is no official proof, rumors claim that the two former stars of the game avoided one another in team meetings. Dhoni decided to use the young players in 2012 to prepare them to the World Cup. This was after the 2011 World Cup, which had been a success. Sehwag revealed in a recent press conference that Dhoni had not told the young players that Dhoni was choosing them to save runs. Dhoni later revealed that initially the reports made them both feel awkward.
“Not really. Dhoni said that initially, it was a bit awkward when he told journalists of the rumored split between him and Sehwag at a press event. You may feel at times that one person believes what the other is saying, while the other person thinks he said it. “Once you’ve had the talk and all is done, things will go back to normal,” he said.
5. Rahul and Sachin Tendulkar
Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid
Dravid is one of the best cricketers in history, but they also have a rift. Tendulkar himself mentioned this in his book. Tendulkar said that Dravid had declared the innings earlier than Dravid who was captaining the team in the first Test due to Sourav’s injury. Tendulkar was disappointed that Dravid had not allowed him to complete his double hundred and left him with 194.
Tendulkar said in his book Playing it My Way: “Rahul stated that the decision was made with the team’s interests at heart. It was crucial to show that we were serious and wanted to win. “I wasn’t convinced.”
