The cricket was good, but the drama was better- Inside the season where replays, remarks, and rivalries took over the IPL 2025 season
It had everything—fireworks, centuries, final-over thrillers. But IPL 2025 will also be remembered for something else: its flare-ups. In a season that promised cricketing gold, what truly shimmered was the drama. From disputed decisions to on-air slurs, this IPL gave fans more than just cricket. It gave chaos.
Let's break down the most controversial moments that lit up—and shook up—the season.
Qualifier 2. A packed Narendra Modi Stadium. And then—pin-drop silence. Josh Inglis, Punjab Kings' middle-order mainstay, feathered one behind off a Pandya bouncer. Or did he? The on-field umpire thought so. The UltraEdge showed a spike. But Inglis? He wasn't buying it. He slammed his pad and walked away, fuming. Social media exploded. "Umpire Indians" trended. Fans accused Mumbai of using umpires like substitute fielders. "Fixing" was thrown around like a bouncer in the death overs. Yet, some argued the replay justified the call. A faint edge, maybe, but an edge nonetheless. Still, the outrage refused to die down.
Only three days in, the commentary box turned into a controversy zone. Harbhajan Singh, never one to hold back, compared Jofra Archer's expensive over to "London's fast black taxi metres." What he probably thought was humour, others labelled as stereotyping; social media platform X lit up. Former cricketers demanded accountability, and some called for Harbhajan's immediate removal from the broadcast team. The spinner-turned-commentator issued a late-night apology, but the damage was done. The stain stuck—and so did the criticism.
Ishan Kishan knows Wankhede well. But this time, it left him puzzled. Facing Mumbai Indians, his former team, he glanced at one down leg. The appeal was half-hearted. The umpire's hand was… hesitant. But Ishan? He started walking—before the decision was entirely made. Replays showed no bat. No touch. Nothing. Yet the dismissal stood. It was part confusion, part controversy, and thoroughly bizarre. Experts were left scratching their heads. Fans didn't hesitate—they slammed the inconsistency. The debate lasted longer than the match itself.
In a league game against Bengaluru, Lucknow's Digvesh Rathi whipped the bails off at the non-striker's end. Skipper Jitesh Sharma was caught mid-pitch, his bat hovering. The third umpire ruled him safe—citing delivery stride completion. Then came the twist: Rishabh Pant, LSG captain, withdrew the appeal. Applause followed. So did confusion. Was it sportsmanship? Or a sign of blurry laws? This incident reignited the age-old debate about what's in the spirit of the game and what isn't.
Shubman Gill's run-out sent Gujarat Titans' playoff hopes tumbling. But it wasn't the dismissal—it was the how. SRH keeper Heinrich Klaasen dislodged the stumps while trying to deflect a throw. But did the ball hit the stumps—or was it Klaasen's glove? The third umpire, Michael Gough, took his time but finally ruled Gill out. Gill, livid, walked off barking words toward the dugout. Replays split viewers down the middle. It was razor-thin. Too thin, perhaps. And in IPL 2025, that meant trouble.
Mustafizur Rahman returned to Delhi Capitals amid political tensions between India and Bangladesh. The problem? No No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the BCB. Social media wasn't kind. #BoycottDelhiCapitals trended. Despite the noise, Rahman flew back from UAE, landed on time, and played against Gujarat Titans. His 2/17 was a gem. Still, fans questioned the ethics. Should a player under national duty be allowed mid-tournament appearances? And was DC's management tone-deaf to the sentiment brewing outside the field? This wasn't just about cricket anymore. It became a political theatre.
The handshake line is sacred—a tradition. But Hardik Pandya broke more than convention after a tight match against PBKS. He walked past Shreyas Iyer not once but twice—without a glance, let alone a shake. Footage showed Iyer just sealing the win with a six. Moments earlier, both skippers were joking at the toss. But post-match? Stone-cold silence. Social media called it "The Snub." Theories popped up. Was it personal? Was it just the heat of the moment? Or was something brewing behind closed doors? The players remained silent. The video? Loud and clear.
