The Indian Premier League, popularly known to be the world’s biggest T20 league, often attracts some of the greatest international players. This league not only develops talent but also provides a scenario for healthy competition. Budding cricketers and domestic talents are often anxious after they get a chance to play in the same arena as their cricketing heroes of all times.
However, while creating a stage for greatness, there are always some rules laid down and, hence some players have been suspended in the past for committing those infractions.
Let’s take a brief look at some of those high-profile suspensions in the history of the IPL
1. Harbhajan Singh (IPL 2008)
Harbhajan Singh was one of the important bowlers for Mumbai Indians in the very first season of IPL. After a verbal spat, he slapped Sreesanth in one of the matches and the controversy became a huge fiasco. He was later suspended for the remaining part of the season and missed 11 matches for MI. This has been the most spoken controversy in the history of the IPL.
2. Ravindra Jadeja (IPL 2010)
In an off the field misconduct example, Ravindra Jadeja was banned during this period by Rajasthan Royals after he had been convicted by his team for a contractual meeting with two other franchises in the Indian Premier League. He did not feature during the 2010 but rejoined the tournament during the next season, playing for Kochi Tuskers Kerala, and in the long run, proved to be among the best stars of Chennai Super Kings
3. Mohammad Asif-IPL 2009
The Pakistani pacer Mohammad Asif, playing for Delhi Daredevils, was suspended after he tested positive for the banned substance Nandrolone. His case marked the end of his IPL career since Pakistani players were banned from the league after the Mumbai attacks. Asif’s case highlighted how strict the IPL is on banned substances.
4. Luke Pomersbach (IPL 2012)
Australian batsman Luke Pomersbach, who played for Royal Challengers Bangalore, was suspended after an assault complaint. A US woman charged him with assaulting her in a Delhi hotel. Luke Pomersbach was detained, banned for the season, and later released on bail. The case reflected a serious off-field issue as a result of which he bid goodbye to the league.
5. David Warner and Steven Smith (IPL 2018)
In 2018, Australian cricket stars David Warner and Steven Smith were suspended due to the ball-tampering scandal in South Africa. Cricket Australia banned them for a year, which made them suspended in the IPL as well. Warner missed the season of Sunrisers Hyderabad, and Smith sat out for Rajasthan Royals. Both returned in 2019 and made strong comebacks.
6. Praveen Tambe (IPL 2020)
The veteran bowler, Praveen Tambe, was suspended from IPL 2020 for playing in a foreign league of T10 without the approval of the Board of Control for Cricket in India. It also became a terminal point in his career within the IPL, although he continued his active participation in leagues held all over the world .
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Conclusion
The IPL has a strict code of conduct, and the team takes very severe action against players if they break the rules. These suspensions are a good lesson for all other players to respect the rules of the league. Maintaining discipline helps them focus all their energy on showcasing talent in one of the most exciting cricket leagues around the world.
