From Scandals to Suspensions: The story of the number one fixing team in IPL

The world-famous Indian Premier League (IPL) undisputedly stands tall as the biggest and richest cricket league in the world. While the prestigious tournament boasts heavy money, high-voltage games, and a global fan following, it has not been untouched by controversies. 

Over the years, allegations of match-fixing, spot-fixing, and corruption charges have brought a serious dent to the tournament as well as the Board of Control for Cricket in India’s (BCCI) image in the past. While multiple teams have found themselves at the center of this serious drama, a particular franchise is often regarded as the number one fixing team in IPL history. 

Let’s dig deep into the IPL’s past and seek details of some of the biggest fixing scandals, the teams involved, and the franchise that has been associated with fixing controversies. 

IPL and match-fixing: A troubled past

It would not be wrong to mention that cricket has a long history of match-fixing scandals. And in a grandeur like IPL, where the stakes stay high alongside a mammoth betting market, it has become a prime target of corruption and other possible malpractices. 

The biggest fixing scandal in IPL history broke into the limelight in 2013 when multiple big players, team officials, and bookies were exposed in a highly widespread betting and fixing racket.  

While this incident came as a shock to everyone, it led to a serious investigation, resulting in bans, suspensions, and even the removal of notable franchises from the IPL arena. 

The 2013 IPL spot-fixing scandal: re-visiting the dark era of the World’s biggest cricket league

The 2013 IPL season fixing scandal that brought shivers down the spine of the cricket fraternity stands as one of the most significant fixing cases of cricketing history. It all began when Delhi Police arrested three players who were representing Rajasthan Royals – S. Sreesanth, Ankeet Chavan, and Ajeet Chandila, following their alleged involvement in fixing during the 2013 season of IPL. 

While the franchise suspended the contract of all three of them until the investigation is completed, there were some shocking revelations of strong link-ups between bookies and team officials, raising suspicions about larger fixing networks. 

Despite getting cleared of all charges by the Patiala High Court due to the absence of adequate evidence, BCCI handed a lifetime ban on Chandila in 2016, which was lifted in 2023. Former Indian cricketer Sreesanth, who was probably the biggest and most shocking name amongst the three, got his ban lifted in 2019 after the Supreme Court’s interference. 

Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and their involvement 

While Rajasthan Royals players were directly implicated, another big franchise that found itself at the center of the controversy was Chennai Super Kings.CSK’s involvement in the fixing scandal surfaced when Mumbai Police arrested actress Vindu Dara Singh, Priyank Sepany (diamond dealer), and CSK team principal Gurunath Meiyappan for alleged betting.

It is worth noting that Meiyappan is the son-in-law of S. Srinivasan, who is a former high-ranking BCCI official and the owner of the CSK franchise. His close connections with the team members and high-level influence in cricket made this event even more significant and shocking. 

Additionally, this brought a big dent to the image of the former Indian captain MS Dhoni, who was the CSK skipper at that time, as he is widely acknowledged and loved by fans for his fair play and high cricketing ethics. 

The Supreme Court of India, after taking the conscience of the big matter, founded a three-member RM Lodha Committee to look into this issue. Following a thorough investigation, the Supreme Court eventually found CSK’s parent company, India Cements, guilty of unethical practices and the involvement of its members in the fixing scandal. 

As a result, CSK was banned from the IPL for two years (2016 & 2017), making them one of the most disgraced teams in IPL history. Due to these controversies, CSK is often labeled as the no.1 fixing team in the rich history of the cricketing extravaganza. 

Other teams aare ccused of fixing in the IPL

Though CSK has been at the center of the biggest fixing controversy, they are not the only one to get infected by the dirty germs of fixing, financial frauds, and spot fixing. 

Rajasthan Royals

When CSK faced the two-year ban, they were not the only ones who received this humiliating punishment. RR also received a two-season-long ban for the involvement of their players in the 2013 fixing scandal. Adding more to it, the alleged involvement of their owner, Raj Kundr,a in illegal betting tugged the last nail in their coffin, which led to their two-year ban. 

Kings XI Punjab (now Punjab Kings)

Back in 2015, when all these controversies were at their peak, Kings XI Punjab was among the notable teams that were under the scanner for possible match-fixing allegations. Though no concrete evidence was found against them, the sword of a potential ban hung over their neck for quite a long time. Some games in their campaign were considered highly suspicious, leading to speculation of their potential involvement in fixing. 

Delhi Daredevils (now Delhi Capitals)

Although not directly accused of fixing, the Delhi-based franchise was also under the radar of several investigating agencies when some of their players were caught communicating with the betting bookies. However, there was no strong case built against them, and they walked off clearly from this scandal with a single stain of any potential involvement. 

Why should CSK be considered the number one fixing team in IPL?

Despite being one of the most successful franchises of the IPL with five titles to their name, many cricket lovers still accuse them as one of the most controversial and fixing teams of India’s biggest cricket league. Here are some of the big reasons that make their opinions justified – 

Involvement of high-ranking officials

Unlike the other teams, CSK’s fixing scenario involved their top officials, with Meiyappan being the biggest name. As he had direct relations with N. Srinivasan, who was the BCCI president at that time, this raised big questions about the integrity of the franchise. 

Ban from IPL

CSK’s two-year suspension was one of the biggest penalties imposed on an IPL franchise till now. This big move tarnished their image, making the fans think that they are a franchise that violates the spirit of cricket and is deeply involved in corruption. 

Repeated Allegations

Even after returning from suspension, CSK has not been spared. They have faced continuous speculations about unfair practices, including allegations relating to suspicious team selections and peculiar on-field performances.

Impact of spot-fixing scandals in IPL

The exposure of fixing scandals has significantly impacted the IPL’s reputation. A tournament that was hailed worldwide for its high-octane on-field battles now gets played under strict surveillance and is often being questioned for its morality and integrity. 

While figures like Raj Kundra and Gurunath Meiyappan are permanently banned from any cricket-related activities, the 2013 scandal paved the way for the BCCI to introduce some stricter anti-corruption measures, including monitoring player interactions and enforcing strong punishments for those who are found guilty.

While we head toward another season of IPL (2025), only time can tell whether this grand cricket league can completely move past its tainted legacy.