The 2026 Indian Premier League (IPL) was as intense as ever, with players giving it their all to help their respective teams lift the coveted title. When
the competition is fierce, it brings out certain reactions in players that they may regret later on. However, when the stakes are so high, emotions can get the better of individuals.
During the recently concluded season, there were some glaring controversial instances where umpiring debates and tactical friction led to fiery moments.
Here are the 5 most controversial moments from IPL 2026
5. Tim David gives explicit salute
Tim David let his emotions get to him as he was seen making an obscene gesture after RCB's win against the Mumbai Indians in Raipur. It was a tight match, with RCB winning off the last ball, and it helped them move to the top of the table.
After the winning runs were scored, David showed his middle fingers while celebrating alongside his teammates. Mumbai Indians were eliminated after this defeat, and the Australian batter rubbed salt into their wounds. David was eventually fined 30 per cent of his match fees for breaching the IPL Code of Conduct and also handed two demerit points.
4. Shubman Gill expresses frustration over Virat Kohli's controversial catch survival
In the IPL final between the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) and the Gujarat Titans (GT), Kohli survived a highly controversial catch review at a very crucial moment in the run chase. GT skipper Shubman was visibly frustrated on the field after the third umpire's call went in favour of the former India captain.
The incident took place on the last ball of the 16th over. Kohli mistimed a drive off Arshad Khan, and Gill lunged forward to take what seemed like a stunning catch. However, the third umpire checked and deemed that Gill's fingers were not completely underneath the ball. Kohli eventually went on to finish the match by hitting a six on the last ball of the 18th over.
3. Double toss in Qualifier 2
A fascinating incident took place ahead of the highly-anticipated Qualifier 2 between the Gujarat Titans and Rajasthan Royals (RR). Shubman Gill flipped the coin, and Riyan Parag called heads. However, the coin landed tails, and GT won. However, match referee Prakash Bhatt intervened, saying he didn't hear the call from Parag.
The toss was redone, and Rajasthan won it this time. They opted to bat first. Gill was understandably agitated and had an animated interaction with head coach Ashish Nehra on the sidelines, while fans criticised the match referee, as the call was clearly audible on live broadcast.
2. Angkrish Raghuvanshi given out for obstructing the field
During the Kolkata Knight Riders' clash against the Lucknow Super Giants at the Ekana Cricket Stadium, Angkrish Raghuvanshi was run-out in a bizarre way. He hit the ball towards mid-on and took a few paces forward. Mohammed Shami grabbed hold of the ball and threw it towards the stumps. After Cameron Green turned down the single, Raghuvanshi had to turn quickly and scamper back inside the crease.
However, as he turned and started running, Shami's throw came in and hit him on his back while he was putting in a desperate dive. While most LSG players didn't appeal, Rishabh Pant had a quiet word with the umpire. After a few seconds, the TV umpire was checking whether Raghuvanshi was obstructing the field intentionally. Eventually, the youngster was given out, and this call was criticised by many experts, as they reckoned that Raghuvanshi hadn't stepped in the way of the ball deliberately.
1. Tim David suspended for IPL 2027 opener after throwing ice bag towards umpire
Tim David once again got into trouble, and this time it was during the IPL 2026 final. In the 10th over of the first innings, David reacted to the fall of a wicket by throwing an ice bag aggressively in the way of umpire Nitin Menon.
David had been fined 50 per cent of his match fee and handed two demerit points. It was his third Level 1 offence of the season. He had already accumulated three demerit points ahead of the final. The latest offence took his tally to five for the season, and this triggered an automatic one-match ban under the IPL's disciplinary guidelines. As a result, the Australian batter won't be able to play RCB's opening game next year.
